There is a perfect storm of transitions that hits women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s: kids leaving home, aging parents, prep for retirement, and menopause. With so much happening at once, it is completely normal to feel frustrated, unfulfilled, or a little bit lost. We often spend our days running on an exhausting loop of "I have to" and forget that we actually have a choice.
In this episode, I welcome successful novelist and mindset coach Ellen Baker. Ellen is the author of four novels, including her latest release, Summerland Cove, and the creator of the Next Chapter Studio. We dive into how the "good girl" conditioning keeps us playing small, why we need to stop outsourcing our authority to others, and how to rewrite your beliefs so you can finally become the main character in your own life.
What You’ll Learn:
- ✔ "Good Girl" Conditioning: How ingrained beliefs to stay small, blend in, and constantly prove ourselves keep us stuck in an exhausting cycle.
- ✔ Outsourcing Authority: How to recognize when you are giving your power away by constantly scanning the room to fix everyone else's problems.
- ✔ The Power of a Small Pivot: Why making a tiny, one-degree shift in your choices—like asking yourself what you need in the moment—can completely change the trajectory of your life.
Episode Chapters:
- 00:00:00 - Escaping The 'Have To' Loop
- 00:01:05 - Inner Circle And Support Space
- 00:02:13 - Why Midlife Can Feel Lost
- 00:04:38 - Ellen Baker’s Reinvention Story
- 00:12:51 - Emotions Point To Misalignment
- 00:16:46 - The Belief That Blocks Rest
- 00:23:25 - Author Your Life With Authority
- 00:27:31 - Trading Obligation For Choice
- 00:31:10 - Fictional Mirror And Tiny Pivots
- 00:34:02 - Find Ellen And Closing Reminder
Links & Resources:
Why This Episode Matters
By checking in with your own needs and changing your internal narrative from "I have to" to "I choose to," you can reclaim your agency and find peace even amid midlife chaos.
Take a little bit better care of yourself in midlife.
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