Wait - What Do You Do Again?

Some obstacles are real; money, time, health, caregiving. Others only feel real. In this episode, I break down an exercise I use with my coaching clients to separate the two: write down every roadblock standing between you and your goal, then sort them into real and perceived.

Real roadblocks need real responses - more resources, more support, a longer timeline. Perceived roadblocks need something different: discernment. Is this a stop sign, or a speed bump?

I dig into why our brains are so good at building a case against the thing we actually want to do, what The Odyssey (yes, really) can teach us about self-sabotage, and how to tell whether you truly lack what you need or you just lack certainty.

Ready is not the absence of roadblocks. Ready is deciding you trust yourself to meet them.

Coaching & speaking: megdeford.comInstagram & TikTok: @megdeford

Jeremy Swick was born in Guatemala City during the country's 36-year civil war, raised in Wisconsin, and went on to work at both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame before founding his own media company, Swick Media.

He's been a historian, archivist, museum curator, podcast host, entrepreneur, rugby player, and social media strategist — somehow, every chapter makes perfect sense.

In this episode, Jeremy shares his path from a childhood shaped by identity and curiosity to a career built on following interest rather than convention. We talk about imposter syndrome, museums, sports, entrepreneurship, and why the most meaningful careers are often the ones you never could have planned.

Whether you're considering a career pivot or just wondering how all the pieces of your own story fit together, this conversation is a reminder that there's more than one way to build a meaningful life.

Jeremy hosts the podcast Into the Unknown and runs Swick Media, a podcast production and social media company.

Find Jeremy at swickmedia.com

Instagram: @swickmedia414 | @theaveragehistorian

You've done everything "right." The degree. The career. The promotions. The relationships. The house. The life that looks great on paper.

So why does it sometimes feel like you didn't choose all of this?

In this solo episode, Meghan explores the difference between the life we build and the life we actually want. Drawing on the work of Jane Fonda, Brené Brown, and her own experience coaching women through major life transitions, we explore:

• Why checking every box doesn't always lead to fulfillment

• The hidden "checklist" women inherit from society

• Don't call it a midlife crisis, call it a developmental stage

• Jane Fonda's powerful "Third Act" philosophy

• Brené Brown's research on midlife as an unraveling toward authenticity

• The difference between renovating your life and burning it down

• A simple exercise to help you reconnect with what you actually want

If you've been feeling restless, disconnected, or like there's something more waiting for you, this episode is for you.

Show Notes / References/Resources MentionedMeghan DeFord is a women's leadership strategist, coach, speaker, and host of Wait - What Do You Do Again? She helps ambitious women stop waiting to feel ready, reconnect with what they actually want, and build intentional lives grounded in their values instead of everyone else's expectations.

www.megdeford.com
Instagram: @megdeford
TikTok: @megdeford

Jane Fonda

• Life's Third Act (TED Talk)
• Jane Fonda on Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus discussing aging, purpose, and the "third act" of life.

Brené Brown

• The Gifts of Imperfection
• Atlas of the Heart
• Daring Greatly

Additional References:

• Carl Jung's work on individuation and the second half of life.
• The Talking Heads song Once in a Lifetime

You did everything right. The career, the promotions, the money in the bank. So why does it still feel misaligned?

Kristin Gallatin used to measure success in dollars — until her husband's motorcycle crash and later cancer diagnosis forced her to rebuild her entire definition of a good life. She went from running three businesses, full-time caregiving, no time to stop — to selling the house, giving away almost everything, and hitting the road full-time in an RV, volunteering at national parks along the way.

In this episode, Kristin and Meghan talk about what actually happens when you stop performing success and start building your life around your real values: the freedom, the isolation, the courage it takes to ask for help, and why "starting over" is the wrong frame entirely. Expect zero vision-board energy, real talk about money and self-worth, and one seriously good hiking-trail metaphor for finding your way back to yourself.

If you've ever felt like nothing is technically wrong but something still feels off, this conversation is for you.

Topics covered: redefining success after crisis, values-based living, burnout recovery, courage and self-trust, life after caregiving, the myth of starting over.

You can find Kristin at https://savvylivingnetwork.com/

Ever wonder why the goal you were SO excited about three weeks ago is now sitting untouched in your notes app? You're not lazy. You're not undisciplined. You just built a system for a version of you that doesn't exist yet.

In this episode, Meghan unpacks the difference between goals built in isolation and goals built around your real, current life. She shares the coaching questions she uses with clients to figure out what's actually possible (versus what's just perceived as impossible), plus a simple 48-hour action exercise to help you stop negotiating with reality and start building momentum today.

Amanda Reece spent more than a decade living with debilitating pain before finally being diagnosed with cervical cancer and stage 4 endometriosis. After years of being dismissed by doctors, questioning her own intuition, and simply trying to survive, Amanda rebuilt her life from the ground up.

In this conversation, we explore what healing really looks like, why manifestation isn't about wishful thinking, how grief is an essential part of transformation, and why the version of yourself that survived deserves compassion instead of criticism.

If you've ever felt stuck, disconnected from yourself, or wondered whether it's too late to change your life, this episode is for you.

In this episode we discuss:

• Living with undiagnosed endometriosis and chronic pain
• Self-advocacy in healthcare
• The realities of healing after trauma and illness
• Manifestation vs. intentional action
• Rebuilding your identity after survival mode
• Why grief is part of creating a life you love

More about Amanda at:

https://www.amandafesting.com/

https://www.instagram.com/aimandalign.amandafesting/

https://www.youtube.com/@Amandafesting

Do you feel ready but stuck, like you just can't figure out where to start , even when you know you're capable of more?

In this solo episode, Meghan breaks down why most women who feel stuck probably aren't stuck at all. They're disconnected.

In this episode, Meghan covers:

• What it actually means to be disconnected from yourself and why it's so common for driven women
• The three ways women typically try to "solve" feeling stuck (and why they usually make it worse)

• Why hustle culture is the worst advice for an already exhausted woman. Yuck, don't do it!
• How values act as a compass when you feel lost or overwhelmed
• A simple 10-minute Energy Audit exercise to start reconnecting today

Ready to go deeper? Head to Instagram @megdeford and DM Meghan the word "Podcast" to receive the free tool she uses with her coaching clients when they're feeling stuck and disconnected.

Next week: Meghan sits down with Amanda Reece, who spent over a decade in debilitating pain, knowing something was wrong but couldn't get treated, before being diagnosed with cervical cancer and stage four endometriosis. They talk about self-advocacy, healing, grief, identity, and why manifestation is really about alignment and action. You don't want to miss it.

Connect with Meghan:
Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @megdeford
www.megdeford.com

Sarah Hubbard thinks most networking advice is completely backwards.

If the word "networking" makes you think of awkward small talk, forced elevator pitches, and collecting business cards you'll never use, this conversation is for you.

Sarah is the author of The Intentional Networker and shares a refreshing approach to building meaningful professional relationships that doesn't require becoming someone you're not. We talk about confidence, visibility, introversion, women in business, authenticity, and why the best networking starts with genuine human connection.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why most people misunderstand networking• The mindset shifts that make networking easier• How women can show up more visibly and confidently• The stories we tell ourselves about belonging• Sarah's MAP Framework for intentional networking• Follow-up strategies that actually build trust• Why networking is a skill, not a personality trait

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a professional looking to grow your career, or someone who breaks into a cold sweat at the thought of a networking event, you'll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately.

More about Sarah and to purchase her book, visit: https://sarah-hubbard.com/

"I'm just not ready yet." I used to say this all the time — and it felt responsible and true. But most of the time, it was just fear masquerading as preparation.

In this episode of Wait — What Do You Do Again?, I'm talking about why waiting to feel ready is one of the most typical ways smart, kickass women stay stuck. We're breaking down why confidence doesn't come before action and why all the researching, planning, and color-coding of your calendar might actually be avoidance dressed up as productivity.

If you've been putting off a career pivot, a hard conversation, a creative project, or just taking your dreams seriously, this episode is for you.

What happens when the career that looks perfect on paper no longer feels right? In this episode of Wait... What Do You Do Again?, Meghan DeFord talks with Bianca Riemer, a former top-ranked equity research analyst at Morgan Stanley who left high finance to become an executive coach and pranic healer.

Bianca Riemer spent a decade thriving in the fast-paced world of Morgan Stanley before realizing success alone was no longer enough. Today, she helps leaders regulate stress, improve executive presence, and reconnect with purpose through executive coaching and energy healing.

In this powerful conversation, they explore burnout recovery, career pivots, nervous system healing, confidence in leadership, and trusting yourself enough to evolve. A must-listen for high achievers ready for their next chapter.

Learn more about Bianca's work at: http://biancariemer.com/