Have you ever thought about writing a memoir? What holds you back? And, on a side note – if your kids wrote a memoir, what do you think they would they say about YOU?

In this episode I talk with Michigan writer T. Marie Bertineau, whose beautiful and nuanced memoir The Mason House deals with tough topics like poverty, violence, and addiction with humor and compassion. Its setting in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula is near and dear to my heart, since that’s where both my grandma and mom were born, and I loved Marie’s take on her home region, the complications of writing honestly about difficult family histories, and more.

Listen for an inspiring discussion about how therapeutic it can be to dig deep into one’s own story, the benefits of letting that story marinate until midlife, and how exploring our own coming-of-age stories can help us define our own legacy as mothers.

About our guest:

• T. Marie Bertineau’s author website
• Follow T. Marie Bertineau on Instagram
• Read “The Mason House” by T. Marie Bertineau



Shop Our Featured Partners

Happy mornings start with healthy sleep routines. Teach your body and mind to fall asleep easily and wake up peacefully with the Restore 2, from Hatch, featuring soothing sounds for sleeping and waking, plus gentle light patterns that stimulate your body’s natural rhythms. Get $20 off your Hatch Restore 2 by using my link!

 

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients.  Get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Hazal lug-sole ankle boot, and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

For women in perimenopause and beyond, sleep can be elusive. In this episode I share just why struggles with night waking (complete with racing, circular thoughts), sluggish mornings and more are so common in midlife, and the products and tactics that have helped me improve my sleep – plus, I give you the details of my bedtime routine!

Links Mentioned In This Episode

Why sunrise alarm clocks are saving my midlife sleep + my favorite models

Give your sleep routine an autumn makeover

7 ways to get better sleep in perimenopause and menopause

5 essential elements of my bedtime routine

3 herbal tea blends to help you sleep

CNN: Women in midlife aren’t getting enough sleep

Shop Our Featured Partners

Happy mornings start with healthy sleep routines. Teach your body and mind to fall asleep easily and wake up peacefully with the Restore 2, from Hatch, featuring soothing sounds for sleeping and waking, plus gentle light patterns that stimulate your body’s natural rhythms. Get $20 off your Hatch Restore 2 by using my link!

 

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. The Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub is my favorite-ever exfoliator! Get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Hazal lug-sole ankle boot, and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ever been so mired in a situation – like a job that demands all your energy, or a messy relationship – where you don’t have the time or energy to visualize a clear path to something better? With no reserves to figure out your next steps, did you just stick it out in misery – or take a leap into the unknown? When writer, podcaster, and recovering perfectionist Christine Koh found herself in a demanding work situation that left no margin for the ups and downs of normal life, she decided to jump without a net – even though it terrified her recovering perfectionist side a little. In this episode of the Mother of Reinvention podcast, Christine and I talk about that decision and how she’s using the white space it’s opened up in her life to pursue dreams, creativity, and a sense of peace. We also dig deep on scarcity issues and money fears and talk a bit about the shift in family life that happens when a kid goes off to college. Listen on for that conversation in this episode of the Mother of Reinvention podcast!

About Christine Koh:

Christine Koh is a self-described recovering academic, emotional robot, and perfectionist as well as an author, podcaster, and creative director. She hosts the Edit Your Life podcast, writes the Substack "There's Always A Story" and is active on Instagram.

Love this conversation? Check out an exclusive unpublished segment of my interview with Christine on my Substack, ReInventing.

Shop Our Featured Partners

Happy mornings start with healthy sleep routines. Teach your body and mind to fall asleep easily and wake up peacefully with the Restore 2, from Hatch, featuring soothing sounds for sleeping and waking, plus gentle light patterns that stimulate your body’s natural rhythms. Get $20 off your Hatch Restore 2 by using my link!

 

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. The Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub is my favorite-ever exfoliator! Get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Hazal lug-sole ankle boot, and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If there’s anything moms don’t typically get enough of, it’s time alone – and when kids are small, outdoor ventures can be a ton of work. Four years ago, I took a solo hiking, camping, and backpacking trip in the woods of northern Michigan and it wound up being a life-changing experience that taught me the value of pushing my limits and taking quiet time with myself Listen to hear more about my trip as well as what I learned, what I’d do differently this time around, and how you can get started with solo adventure – no matter where you’re starting from.

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

• Read the blog post I wrote about the solo trip that inspired this episode!
• My recommended gear guide

Shop Our Featured Partners

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. The Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub is my favorite-ever exfoliator! 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com, FREE Shipping 9/14-9/15!

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Hazal lug-sole ankle boot, and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

Post navigation

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

From getting up off the floor to checking a blind spot on the highway, our daily lives are filled with small movements that require mobility to do with ease and comfort. As we get older, these movements can start to become more difficult or even painful, and typical workout sessions can create imbalances that stress our joints and make us more prone to injury.

In this episode I talk to health and fitness coach Angela Metrou, CPT and owner of Modern Mind & Body, about the differences between simple stretching and true mobility training, how strength training and mobility training work together, and why it’s vital for us to be thinking about our joint health and range of motion as we enter midlife, whether we’re elite athletes or just trying to reach into a high cupboard without a twinge.

Links In This Episode:

• Learn more about our guest Angela Metrou, CPT at her website, ModernMindandBody.com and on her Instagram account.
• The “getting up off the floor” reel that led me to reach out to Angela
• Angela’s Foot & Ankle Mobility Program

Shop Our Featured Partners

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. The Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub is my favorite-ever exfoliator! 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Hazal lug-sole ankle boot, and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Midlife skincare can be more than befuddling. With so many cleansers, toners, serums and creams on the market, how do we know what to use on our aging skin? Is it possible to turn back the clock with chemicals? And, how do we really feel about Botox, fillers, and other age-defying procedures? In this episode I share my favorite skincare products, including my daily step-by-step routines, as as well as the midlife skincare philosophy that’s helping me make tough decisions about what I’m willing to do – and NOT willing to do – to help my skin look its best.

PRODUCT LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE:

OSEA:

Ocean Cleansing Milk (If you like a less-creamy cleanser I also like the OSEA Ocean Cleanser.)

Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub

Sea Vitamin Boost Spray 

Hyaluronic Sea Serum 

Advanced Protection Cream 

Atmosphere Protection Cream

Essential Hydrating Oil.

Seaglow AHA Overnight Serum

Burt’s Bees

Burt’s Bees Facial Oil

Burt’s Bees Oil Cleanser

Toups & Co

Reparative Serum

Tallow Balm in Sweet Girl scent

Other:

My skincare routine

My DIY facial oil

Gua Sha tutorial

Sun Bum Tinted Mineral Skin Primer 

Shop Our Featured Partners

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. Get up to $108 in FREE product with purchase through September 4. 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Regan (pictured at left) and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

Happy mornings start with healthy sleep routines. Teach your body and mind to fall asleep easily and wake up peacefully with the Restore 2, featuring soothing sounds for sleeping and waking, plus gentle light patterns that stimulate your body’s natural rhythms. Get 15% off the Hatch Restore 2!

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Should women over 40 shun carbs, practice intermittent fasting, or max out our protein? What are "hormone-balancing foods," is "metabolic flexibility" really a thing, and are insulin spikes as scary as they sound? And why does it suddenly feel so complicated to simply put food on our plates once we hit midlife? In this episode I talk with Dr. Jenn Salib Huber, a registered dietician, naturopathic doctor, and intuitive eating advocate who educates midlife women on supporting their health and hormones with non-restrictive eating, about just why our midlife food mentality can get so messy - and how to untangle it all. I also share what I've discovered about my own approach to food and diet mentality after taking a few months completely "off" of counting calories, tracking macros, or restricting my eating. 

OUR FEATURED PARTNERS:



Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Shop their collection of boots and booties for fall, like the Regan (pictured at left) and be sure to use code REINVENT15 for 15% off your order at VionicShoes.com.

Happy mornings start with healthy sleep routines. Teach your body and mind to fall asleep easily and wake up peacefully with the Restore 2, featuring soothing sounds for sleeping and waking, plus gentle light patterns that stimulate your body’s natural rhythms. Get 15% off the Hatch Restore 2!

Make eating well easy! Prep a week’s worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Menus, shopping lists, and detailed prep and cooking instructions for a variety of eating styles. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. Check out my skincare routine featuring OSEA products, (the Seaglow Resurfacing Scrub is a new fave!) and get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at OSEAMalibu.com.

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

From getting married (on a raft!) to helping open a bookstore, running an AirBNB to digging into my family history, it's been a busy summer for this 40something mom. Listen for a quick update on what's been happening in Meagan's world plus a sneak peek at what you'll hear in Season 6 of the Mother of Reinvention podcast!

Check out the REINVENT Retreat, happening this October 20-22 in Southwest Michigan and online. Head to ReinventRetreat.com for more info and register with code REINVENT15 for 15% off through August 31!

One big happy blended family :) You'll find lots of other wedding pics over at my Instagram!

Thanks to MOR's Season 6 partners:

 

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Check out my favorite summer styles, and use code REINVENT

for free shipping at VionicShoes.com.

 

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. Get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at checkout.

Make eating well easy. Prep a week's worth of healthy meals in just 1-2 hours a week with PrepDish. Head to http://prepdish.com/mor to try your first two weeks, FREE.

Loving the show? Let me know. Email me at [email protected]!

 

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Being a “boy mom” is one thing. What about when you’re trying to guide, mentor, and mother nearly-grown MEN? In this episode I catch up with parenting author and mother to four young men, Jennifer Fink, to discuss what we get wrong about boys and how misunderstanding young men can hinder their growth as humans, plus our shifting relationships with our sons as they move into their teen years – and beyond.

Episode Links:

• Visit Jennifer’s website
• Read Jennifer’s new book, Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World That Misunderstands Men
• Check out Jennifer’s recent article in the Washington Post: We’re Missing A Major Mental Health Crisis: Teen Boys Are Struggling, Too
• Join the Building Boys Facebook group

Thanks to this season’s partners:

Comfortable and fashion-forward,Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Check out my favorite styles, and use code REINVENT for free shipping at VionicShoes.com.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. Get 10% off your first order by using the code REINVENT at checkout.

Loving the show? Let me know.

• Email [email protected]!
• Find me on Substack.
• Hit me up on IG at @meaganfrancis!

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you were getting married all over again, what would you change about your wedding? And, what are the best and most challenging things about midlife marriage? As my wedding day draws near, I posed those questions to eight writer/podcaster friends, and their answers are full of insight, wisdom, and humor – along with a few can’t-miss tips. Enjoy this heartwarming, hopeful, and VERY special episode!

About This Episode’s Guests

Asha Dornfest

• Asha’s website
• Check out Asha’s blog and community, Parent of Adults
• Follow Asha on Instagram

Karen Walrond

• Karen’s website
• Follow Karen on Instagram
• Listen to Karen on the following Mother of Reinvention episodes: The Joy Of Sending Your Kid To College and The Accidental Activist – How Regular People Can Make Change For Good
• Pre-order Karen’s book Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell

Christine Koh

• Listen. to Christine’s podcast, Edit Your Life
• Follow Christine on Instagram
• Check out Christine’s Substack, There’s Always A Story
• Listen to Christine on this episode of MOR: Reinventing With Intention With Christine Koh: Mother of Reinvention, Episode 7

Amy Suardi

• Amy’s website 
• Follow Amy on Instagram
• Amy hosts a weekly Co-Create Circle at the REINVENT Community!

Sarah Powers

• Find Sarah at The Mom Hour
• Follow Sarah on Instagram
• Listen to Mother of Reinvention episodes featuring Sarah Powers: That life-changing moment when you do something completely different and Meagan Turns 45! Here’s What’s Next

Nancy Davis Kho

• Nancy’s website 
• Follow Nancy on Instagram
• Listen to Nancy on Mother of Reinvention: Rewiring Your Brain Using Gratitude
• Check out Nancy’s book, The Thank-You Project: Cultivating Happiness One Letter of Gratitude At A Time

Amy Allen Clark

• Listen to Amy’s podcast, Book Gang
• Visit Amy’s website
• Follow Amy on Instagram
• Listen to Amy on Mother of Reinvention: Leaning (Back) In To What You Love with Amy Clark of the Mom Advice Book Club

Rachel Macy Stafford

• Rachel’s website
• Follow Rachel on Instagram
• Read Rachel’s new book: Soul Shift: The Weary Human’s Guide To Getting Unstuck and Reclaiming Your Path To Joy
• Listen to Rachel on Mother of Reinvention: Living authentically in midlife

Thanks to this season’s partners:

 

Comfortable and fashion-forward, Vionics are stylish self-care for your feet. Check out my favorite styles, and use code REINVENT for free shipping at VionicShoes.com.

OSEA is my go-to skincare brand, made with clean, botanically-sourced ingredients. Find out more about the products I love best, check out the limited-time Free Gift With Purchase event and save 10% on your first order by using code REINVENT at checkout.

Loving the show? Let me know.

• Email [email protected]!
• Join my email list!
• Hit me up on IG at @meaganfrancis!

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy