Twisting the Plot

Twisting the plot is about dreaming big, having faith, and knowing your truth.  This week, we had the great pleasure to sit down with the multi-talented Mary Testa; actress, singer, and three-time Tony Award nominee.  Turning 65 this year, Mary asks, what’s next?  She wonders, how big can a woman in her 60’s dream?  Is it possible to create a narrative that is bigger than what you are?  We look forward to the future Mary, a woman who always pushes boundaries and delivers creativity and performances with creativity that takes us outside the box of expectation. Enjoy.

Listen to Unravel/If I Loved You from the album Have Faith.

Order Have Faith on CD from Sh-K-Boom or Barnes & Noble, or buy as a download from iTunes or  Amazon.

Order the Queen of the Mist (Original Cast Recording) on CD from Sh-K-Boom or Barnes & Noble, or buy as a download from iTunes or  Amazon.

Today we speak with another one of our twelve women who will be creating something that matters in twelve months’ time.  Up until now, Sydney Price’s life was moving along nicely.  Her identity was defined by the possessions she owned, the jobs she held, the relationships she had.  Then suddenly, it seemed, everything changed.  A divorce, the closing of two businesses, a move to a new apartment and the loss of a loved one brought her to a crossroads.  She feels stripped down and uncertain.  Now what?  What’s next?  So Sydney joined our 12 in 12 cohort and is working on something that matters a lot: the trash that surrounds us.  Put another way, our planet.  Sydney is studying recycling, composting and other ways to translate social awareness into community action, and tackle a growing problem.  Tune in and hear what she has to say.  Sydney is a force and as her daughter reminds her “she always finds a solution.”

Click here to learn more about Twisting the Plot

Do you ever have feelings about your aging body?  Do you want to have a better relationship with your knees, stomach, wrinkles and hair?  Are you tired of hiding and feeling less than? 

Dr. Leslie Faerstein has some answers for you. She spent four decades working as a psychotherapist pioneering social programs for eating disorders and serving as executive director for various nonprofit organizations.  Today, almost 70 years old, she is twisting her plot by starting consciousness raising conversations for older women who want to change the way they see, think and feel about their bodies.  This is a huge social issue, and we are thrilled that Dr. Leslie is taking the lead. 

https://www.lesliemfaerstein.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-morrison-faerstein-7923471/

Click here to learn more about Twisting the Plot

Often the stories we tell ourselves about the past are frozen in time. These fixed narratives keep us stuck, and can block us from new possibility.  If we open ourselves to other perspectives and diversify the narratives, we will make room for new future identities, experiences and expectations. So, try this: Take a story from your past and rewrite it from three different points of view.  For example, retell the story through someone else’s eyes, or from another part of yourself.  Maybe even reframe the story from your future-self perspective.  See what you discover. Twist your plot.  It’s your story to write.

Sharon Count’s divorce took ten years to play out.  It was harrowing, traumatic, and very costly.  Since then, she is dedicated to helping couples and families navigate the process holistically with one-stop legal, emotional, and financial guidance.  It’s a plot twist we wish we didn’t have to bring up.  But so many of the women we meet are struggling to navigate what is known as a “gray divorce.”  Statistically, the overall divorce rate has declined in the past 20 years, but it has more than doubled for couples over 50.  Getting divorced at this stage of life can undermine financial security and be devastating to one’s identity and support system.  Sharon gives us smart advice and plenty of hope.

https://centerfordivorceresolution.com/

Maria is breaking through with momentum and vision.  

For her project, she is developing an on-line program for individuals to uncover, discover and recover creativity and passion.  As a part of our February work, Maria imagines her future self as a guide in this process.  Future Maria feels whole and listens closely to herself and others.  She creates ripples of community that inspire and connect.  We can already feel her effect in our 12 in 12 group.

What happens when you decide to enter a triathlon even though you are terrified of swimming in open water?  Heidi Michaels did just that.  She was a Mom of five in her 50’s looking to evolve herself.  In the process of overcoming her fear, she discovered her “inner athlete.”  This led Heidi to make a twist.  Now she is a coach and personal trainer and helps other women face fears, overcome limits and get strong.  She tells us how working out is both a mental and physical challenge.  Heidi discusses how to transform negative self-chatter and set clear, specific, fitness goals for yourself.

Too often we are more focused on our shortcomings and we overlook our strengths. Make this twist: identify your strengths, own them, make friends with them, and then lead with them. It’s a bold move. Instead of hanging back or thinking that we aren’t worthy, let’s assert ourselves and become the leaders, inventers, and creators we are meant to be. Let your superpowers be your guide.  

Tina Sloan plays many parts and confronts a lot of drama as an actress and author.  Among her many roles in film and television, Tina spent 26 years portraying Lillian Raines on the CBS soap The Guiding Light.  Over the course of time, she watched Lillian’s character get fewer and fewer lines and become more and more invisible.   At the same time her personal life took twists.  While caretaking her parents and seeing her son shipped off to the war in Iraq, she spent less time turning the lens on herself.  Her extraordinary remedy?  Run in several marathons, climb to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, write a book in her 60’s, and tour a one-woman show.  Tina’s life picked up and, not incidentally, so did Lillian’s plot on the soap.  

Today, Tina talks with us about her second book, Chasing Cleopatra, a novel that launched this month on her 77th birthday.  And she’s not done yet.  Tina Sloan is a twister supreme.  

http://www.tinasloan.com

Chasing Cleopatra: A Novel of Love Betrayal and Suspense

Changing Shoes: Getting Older – Not Old – with Style, Humor and Grace

Marianne Franzese, grade school principal, is on board the 12 in 12 train.

She joins us because she has always thrived in circles of women.  And because she is ready to do something bold.

She’s been going through a lot of change, experiencing loss, feeling vulnerable. having to let go.  Her creativity has been dormant.

Now, she’s ready to let her creative process emerge from what she calls, the “fertile void.”

She asks herself:  What does it mean to be a leader at my age?  Can I create something of value at this point in my life?  How can I become a destination and make something that people want to come to?

Here’s what she is considering:

A TV show in which we are all called to the Principal’s Table.

The show will explore a new take on visiting the principal.  For most of us, a slip to the principal’s office meant trouble, humiliation or punishment.  But Marianne wants it to mean much more.  She believes your visit with the principal should bring some whimsy and joy.

Of course, children will lead the way.  

Stay tuned and root for our own Mr. Rogers. 

Principal Marianne.  We look forward to your wisdom.