S.O.F.T. and Strong: Midlife Women On A Mission: Recent Episodes
Bernice McDonald
Midlife. The in-between years when you're no longer young but you're not old yet either. It's that time in your story when you're crying all the way home from leaving your kid at college. Or crumpling up your high school reunion invite because life has not turned out at all in the way you said it would. You're waking up in the middle of the night wracked with financial worry. You're going through a divorce or grieving your spouse or wondering who that man is across the table as you haven't really connected for years. It's exhausted caregiving and a waistline you don't recognize. It's staring out the window blankly and asking "NOW WHAT?" Hey - this is a transition when life doesn't give us the choice about whether we go through it or not. But...there are choices that are in our control. Life doesn't stop here. YOU are meant for so much more. And that's what this podcast is about. Instead of being known as a woman who is "menopausal", WHAT IF you could be seen as a beautiful Woman on a Mission? Someone who is taking all life by storm? Who doesn't back down? Who never gives up? Someone who knows what she wants and isn't settling for less. People know you as confident, intelligent, sensitive and intuitive. You get things done. You can be trusted to follow through. You're a woman with a vision. The antidote for sinking into all the inevitable midlife mindsets our culture trains us to believe is PURPOSE. I'm Bernice McDonald, Midlife Coach, and I'm here to guide you as you get your feet back on solid ground. Life shifts. Like winter to spring. So shift with it! Leave your past missions behind as they're done. Open up your heart and your mind to what's next. Your Next Great Mission. We all have one. And you do, too. Let's answer the Midlife Call. Find our next great mission. Live with purpose. Please come and join us!
It’s now, in midlife, that the last thought on your mind is to be “resilient and courageous”.
Ever feel like you're teetering on a high wire, blindfolded, with the world watching below? One minute, you're conquering life's great balancing act, and the next - whoosh - you're in free fall.
I get it.
The midlife rollercoaster is not for the faint of heart. Fear, uncertainty, and change are the nasty gremlins that come along for the ride, uninvited.
Yeah, you've been shoved into the deep end. The kids are off, career's taking a twist, body's playing mischief, and all you've got is a lousy life preserver called 'courage.'
Really, universe?
But hold up! WHAT IF this courage could be your life raft, your North Star navigating you through this seemingly impossible stage?
How about we unravel the magic of what it takes to get through all of it…the fear, the uncertainty and the change? Like a boss. Like a Beautiful Warrior.
Are you up for it? It all starts right here.
This is where you train as a "Beautiful Warrior". This week's training? How to be Resilient and Courageous and PROUD of your Midlife Self.
- What does it mean to be reslient and courageous?
- How you can build resilience and courage.
- How to live life as a resilient and courageous woman.
See in you inside!
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Midlife is a time when you start to ask, "Who am I now? What's next?"
Change is, for women, inevitable. It's easy to lose your courage and stop believing in yourself.
Challenges are everywhere and you wonder if you have what it takes to actually make it through in one piece.
The answer is YES YOU CAN! Enter the "Beautiful Warrior".
Who is she?
A beautiful warrior is a woman. A woman just like you and me, who turns her midlife experiences into powerful tools for transformation, growth and empowerment.
She's a beacon of courage, of resilience, of strength, who navigates life's challenges with the grace of a swan.
In this episode, Life Coach Bernice McDonald shows you 3 Ways to Master Your Inner Strength:
- Recognize the Power of Experience
- Embrace Your Courage
- Radiate Your Beauty
There is no one like you and that means there's no one like you who can live your life with as much mastery as you can.
Come on in and be transformed!
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Are you wondering what the secret is to finding your passion - it seems that everyone expects you to know but maybe you're confused about the whole idea and wondering if it's something that is really going to matter?
Discovering your personal mission, your life's purpose is like finding your compass in the forest. It doesn't eliminate the trees, but it does show you the direction.
It illuminates your path, adds meaning to each step you take, and brings a sense of fulfillment and joy.
Think about who you want to be - what you want to contribute to this world.
You’re amazing in your own unique way, and it's more than okay to acknowledge that. In fact, it's necessary.
In this podcast I'm going to show you how to:
- How to recognize your true passions
- 5 Steps to actually defining how YOUR passion, along with your core values, merge into a combination that creates purpose.
- Step 1: Reflect on your passions and values.
- Step 2: Visualize your ideal self.
- Step 3: Identify your unique strengths.
- Step 4: Make your mission statement. (with lots of examples)
- Step 5: Take action. (with lots of examples)
To live this life fully without feeling it's a tedious, tiresome journey filled with potholes and plots, you need to have something to focus on that fills your heart with joy.
This is one of the key qualities of a Beautiful Warrior.
Come in for a listen and be inspired to think creatively about a life you'll love.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Many of us by midlife are afraid to make decisions because we’re afraid the past equals the future.The amazing news about life is this: the past does NOT equal the future. Every phase is a new canvas. And you hold the paintbrush in your hand.
THIS is when decide: Beautiful Warrior of Shrinking Violet?
Your Beautiful Warrior is YOU taking charge.
YOU becoming the boss of your brain and not listening to all the stories it tells you.
Truth is, your brain is just trying to protect you. That’s its job. And it just wants to keep you safe.
In this podcast we talk about 3 Thoughts of a Beauiful Warrior. Thoughts that create passion and purpose. Thoughts that train you to live through your midlife crisis as a woman and beat the fear of aging.
- Learn and practice the 3 thoughts that transform the fear of not being good enough to believing in yourself
- Discover the incredible gifts the past has given you that are your key to the promise that the past does not have to equal the future.
- Embrace the qualities of a Beautiful Warrior rather than living in the fear of losing control of your life in the second half.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Someone calls you 'fat'.
Someone says your work isn't up the standards of the company and to do it again.
Someone says your work is wonderful and to be sure that same level of quality shows up on the next project.
Someone tells you that your son may have cancer.
Someone tells you that your mom is going to need extra care and you're the only sibling near her.
Challenges. Something new and difficult that is going to require great effort and determination to get to the other side.
LIFE IS FULL OF THEM.
This is when it's time to call in your midlife-self's Beautiful Warrior. What does she look like? You'll find out her distinct (and very life-saving) qualities in this episode.
6 Qualities to embrace. You'll discover:
- Is she invincible?
- What does she believe?
- How risk will strengthen her.
- How she treats others.
- What's she thinking?
- Where is her power?
See you inside.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Have you ever downplayed your own work because it wasn't as good as someone else's?
Or changed your mind about submitting something, cooking something, doing something because you believed what you could give wasn't very good?
These are symptoms of the "I am not enough" way of life. And it's this thinking that will cause you to become smaller and smaller as you get older.
Midlife is the time to take a good hard look at this because you don't want to spend the rest of your life withdrawing, feeling 'less than'.
Needing to know that you're competent is a key component to having good self-esteem. In this podcast we talk about 3 ways you can build your belief in yourself.
Wisdom from the podcast:
"So step back. Be the friend, the mom, the boss you wish you could have had. Say the same things to yourself that you wished you would have heard from them."
Bernice McDonald
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
WHAT IF Midlife were actually a Call To Adventure?
The only way you hear that Call is to connect to that very quiet place deep inside of you. That's where you'll find your heart.
This is a powerful place. A place from which you can learn to be yourself...shut out the noise of what everyone else thinks you should be, tells you to be.
The Call challenges us to look deeper into how life has been molding us, preparing us for this time just ahead. A new phase. Midlife.
Find the answers to that calling and everything else will fall into place.
Purpose becomes the reason for our lives and the foundation we can use to make all our decisions and choices for the rest of our lives.
You have so much to offer, and the world needs what you have to give.
It's never too late to find a new purpose. A new reason for living.
Let's look at how that can be done. Come on in or download the transcript.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were a Calling to come back to your heart? To redefining who you are and what your life's purpose is.
Change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Ever walk into a crowded room and feel all alone?
There is nothing like feeling as if you are in the wrong place. Don't belong. Are not wanted somewhere.
WE ALL FEEL IT. And, for women, midlife can magnify this because so many places where they felt at home and needed are shifting. Changing.
So how do we handle this? How do we make that vital decision to stay engaged with our lives by building up the crucial connections that our hearts need so badly?
That's what we're talking about here. How to become a Beautiful Warrior and face this midlife challenge.
In this podcast you are going to learn:
- What to do when you feel all alone
- A Secret skill you can learn when you walk into a room of strangers
- How changing on thought can help you relax and connect
- How you can believe in yourself and what you have to bring to the table
Come in and join us as we become Midlife Women on a Mission!
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Your heart is the most beautiful thing about you. And in that beautiful heart, you'll find every need that shows you how to find your passion and purpose.
The 2nd need of your heart is SIGNIFICANCE. To know and value who I am.
In this podcast I'm talking about YOU, a potential Woman on a Mission. And, because of that, you are a potential Beautiful Warrior.
YOU who have walked through life with all of its hills and valleys, challenges and disasters.
It's not the bombs that go off in your life or the boulders that flatten you when they drop out of the sky unexpectedly...it's the meaning you give to every event that happens.
It's all dependent on how you see what's happened in your life and how it shapes how you see yourself. Midlife creates a crisis of identity.
You are discovering who you are all over again. Who will you allow to tell you who you are?
Come on in and I'll help you answer that question.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
"I'm good with life as long as it never changes and doesn't give me any surprises."
Don't you wish you could have this level of control? Sometimes we think that, if we did, we would feel safe and certain.
Wait a minute! Is that really how we want to live our lives? We're talking about that question in this podcast.
Is safe and careful over-rated? Even boring?
You're going to find out the secret to feeling ALIVE here. The secret that is the basis for growing a Warrior Heart.
And all Midlife Women On A Mission need a Warrior Heart.
Come in for a listen.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
CARTOON: A midlife woman was telling her doctor - “I need a big belly. You can’t fit this much charm and personality into a small package.”
There you go - the positive spin on it. However, it also kind of makes me want to crawl under my blankets and never come out because I don’t want a big belly and I don’t want to rationalize it away.
Do you think maybe God made midlife - all these big changes - so that you would realize that you need to pay attention to something?
Like a big red flag waving that says, “Hey - it’s time to take you to the next level.”
I know it feels more as if we’re being “demoted” as humans rather than promoted as we age and get to feel all those hot flashes, the saggy baggies and the up and down emotions…
As bleak as this may seem, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take all of this life, simplify what it is and let it be the fire that refines you like the gold we talked about in the last podcast.
I want you to know above all things: Nothing has gone wrong here.
Just let that sit for a minute. Breathe.
It’s true. This is life. It’s normal.
It’s the path with all its twists and turns, hills and valleys.
The story. Your story. My story.
And you can get through this without drama, without panic and, in fact, as if you were BORN to handle this stuff.
Bernice McDonald, Midlife Coach, tells you how right here, inside this Podcast. Come for a listen!
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
Two choices when you come to the crossroads called "Midlife".
We all go through it. No one escapes it because, well, Midlife is simply the 'middle' of your life. I totally feel your desire to escape it.
And we all get two choices:
-
Sit down. Stare at the closed door behind us for the rest of your life.
-
Imagine all the things you had back there and wish that your kids had stayed young forever,
- your face wasn't wrinkled and
- your job was as exciting as you felt on your first day there.
OR
-
Turn toward the future. The rest of your Path.
-
Even if it's foggy or vague.
- Look at your strengths you have despite the weaknesses.
- Look at the courage you have created by all the stuff you've walked through.
- Look at the difference you'd like to make in the world.
- Choose your Next Adventure. Make it a Mission.
In this episode, we're talking about you being compared to a piece of igneous rock (Ok, I know that doesn't sound great - read on. It's pretty amazing.)
And life is like 2 walls of enormously strong inner earth pressing on you and producing a heat that is unbearable.
Then a great earthquake happens and voila! You pop out as...you have to listen to the podcast to find out.
Anyway, this is how I see you and how you need to decide to let yourself see you if you are ever going to make it to the end of your life - through this middle stage - feeling passionate and beautiful and as if your life matters.
Come for a listen.
If you want help with discovering what's passionate and beautiful inside of the Midlife woman you are... come for a consultation. www.bernicemcdonald.com
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
From a post on Pinterest talking about midlife women: "You know you're getting old when you get butt jiggle, bingo wing flap and boob wobble when you brush your teeth"...
It made me laugh right out loud because I had just been noticing my bingo wing flaps in the mirror when I was brushing my teeth. It's just like, "Oh my goodness, that skin just looks like crepe paper under my arms".
Midlife! You gotta laugh or you'll just sit down and stop trying. What's the antidote to this kind of thinking? The "I'm going through menopause" thinking and I'm going to die if I have another hot flash!
We're talking about the antidote right here in this podcast today. And it will transform you from someone who describes herself as "menopausal" to being a "MIDLIFE WOMAN ON A MISSION".
Doesn't that sound SO MUCH better? And bring up a "Wonder Woman" kind of feeling inside? A feeling that says, "I can do anything I set my mind to."
That's what we're going for. Because we are women.
And we have so much life left to live. A Mission to accomplish.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
There you stand. On the edge of a chasm. You're somewhere in your 40's and there's not much left for you here on this side.
Below you see a whole river of loss running between two rocky walls. You feel that loss.
Loss of a house filled with noisy kids and schedules to keep running.
Loss of your energy and muscle tone because midlife changes are catching up with your body.
Loss of love from so many directions. Uncertainty. Fear.
"Who am I now?" you ask. "Who am I going to be?"
I know. Been there. Actually, been thinking about the solution since I was about 19 years old. YOU are not done yet. I know it seems weird that I would say that but you need to hear it.
You have 2 choices when it comes to crossing that chasm... midlife. And none of us escape making these 2 choices because we ALL end up here.
This is what we're talking about in this podcast today. Those 2 choices. Both involve something important you still have to do and finding that something right there inside you where you live. In your heart.
Come on in, grab a coffee, put your feet up and...be inspired.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
The BOMBS are the big things that happen that absolutely blow up your life. They happened in the past and they will keep happening... it's impossible to predict.
Literally, it's as if you were walking down a sidewalk and a bomb went off just a few feet away from you.
The shock wave leaves you reeling - "Wait a minute, this is not what I was expecting. My life was not supposed to turn out like this. This was never supposed to happen."
- Bombs can be things like Prince Charming saying he doesn't love you any more or turning on you because his expectations of you are so huge.
- Or it can be Prince charming passing away, leaving you behind because of death.
- It can be when your child passes away. That's a huge bomb.
- Or when your child has some sort of illness, physical illness, a mental illness that requires all of you to be there with them or to be affected by them.
- Things like menopause or retirement or bankruptcy can also be BOMBS.
After the shock wears off...you have to decide what you do - who you will be now.
The loss of the dream life can cause you to lose who you are.
And really the word 'loss' is a keyword here. We fall into this place, as Tony Robbins describes, of "loss, less than and never will have again".
In this week's podcast, we talk about the decisions you have to make and how to stop letting your brain threaten to keep you trapped in the fallout of whatever BOMB has happened or is happening in your life right now.
The good news? There's a way to come out the other side feeling as if you still have a future worth walking toward. Courage. It just takes courage.
Download here: FREE e-Book: How To Find Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission
____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior! Midlife can steal your firm thighs AND your sense of certainty in who you are as a woman. But what if Midlife were simply a transition into a new phase of life for you? And, with it, came a calling - to do something great with what you've already learned in life.
What if...you are being prepped for your Next Great Mission? I happen to believe you are. Here's the link to a free template to help you discover your purpose and write a statement that is going to change your future forever with 3 EASY QUESTIONS! "How to Write Your Passionately Personal Midlife Mission Statement".
The woman you "were" - the one in the past - comes with you everywhere all the time.
You hear her voice, you feel her touch, you regret a lot of how she was. And wish she would have made different decisions.
But what about the strength she brings you?
YES! She brings you strength. This aging gracefully thing has to include making peace with the woman you have been all along your Path.
Want to know why she is vitally valuable to you right here, right now where you are today?
And how to embrace her? That's what I'm talking about here in this podcast.
Find the beautiful part of who you were and you'll find the incredible parts of who you are today.
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it). ____________________________________________________
Hey Beautiful Warrior - are you in that mid-life beyond 50 part of your life? Feeling as if you're not quite sure how to face the 2nd half when it seems that it's all downhill from here? Afraid of what happens next as the sense of adventure slips away from you?
I'm Bernice McDonald and I believe you never have to stop becoming who you're meant to be. I have an amazing 3 step strategy that I have used over and over myself that will show you how to believe in yourself. I call it the "Yes You Can" Strategy. It's for women who are not afraid to say what they want OUT LOUD and who dare to believe that anything is possible! Ready to spread your wings? Opt in for a free consult here and let's get you loving your life!
How Do I Love Myself??
We get to this place a lot of times in our life where we are focusing so much on how to live a good life. How do we do this?
How do we get love?
How do we get the body we want?
How do I become a person who is happy?
How do I be a good mom?
How do I be a good wife?
How? How? How?
"How" is not the question - "Who" is the question.
Who am I? Because that answers everything about how I should be in the world.
I think this is the most amazing thing that I've discovered in many, many years. You don't have to figure out how to do it In order to be it.
You actually have to be who you are in order to figure out how to do anything, how to love, how to build a business, how to become the best person that you can be, how to reach your dreams.
Live in that place where you feel as if you're moving forward toward goals.
All of that is not about how to do it. That's secondary.
The first thing is, who are you and do you love that person?
Are you brave enough to really just embrace and love the person that you are? Warts and all. Flaws and all. Failures and all.
You CAN do this. Hey, I'm a woman who works as a women's Life Coach and I got you! This is the Podcast that will show you how to start loving yourself.
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it). Do you know that the biggest regret of women who reach 60 and beyond is that they didn't do what they really WANTED to do in their lives? Is that you? Or are you afraid it might be you?
I help women who are reaching those mid-years to never have that regret. The only thing stopping you is the fear that "YOU CAN'T". My joy as a Coach is to move with you past the fear, into the belief, creating a life you will love no matter how old you are. Click here to come work with me and change your future!
Remember the giggling? As a little girl, remember breathing in the fun in life in whatever moment you were living? Life was an adventure every minute, right?
Princesses, Knights... imagining doing whatever came into yours and your friend's heads. Then something happened.
As we grew, older, life took place, right?
Bombs went off scaring you to death.
Shock boulders landed on you creating stories that weren't so fun. They told you why you shouldn't be happy. Why you should be cautious. Fearful.
Rocks from other people on their paths as they walked beside you got thrown. Words that hurt. Actions that left you alone and doubting who you are. It's been a long path you've walked, right?
But let me ask you a question today. Where did the magic go? Did it just disappear? Poof! Gone? Because we really don't live in that place of magic much as we get older.
And especially when we reach that place in our fifties where we get really sober about what life is and about what's to come. Are you recognizing yourself in any of that?
The fear of aging is REAL. How do we age gracefully? Beautifully? That's what we're talkin' about here... how to start loving yourself. How to reinvent yourself at 50...or 60 and beyond!
if I could, I would tap you with a Magic Wand and whisk all the cobwebs from your eyes. BUT...I don't need to. Because you've got this, Gorgeous. Come listen to this episode and I'll show you HOW to start feeling the magic in life again.
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
Bombs drop on you.
Boulders flatten you, dropping out of nowhere.
Someone throws a rock at you - fast! Ouch! It stings. It leaves a mark.
LIFE HAPPENS. What you do next is the MOST IMPORTANT DECISION YOU WILL EVER MAKE IN THIS LIFE.
Who will you be?
Will you crumble, give up, shrink away because it's all just too hard?
Or will you stand up again. Refuse to be defeated. And become a woman who looks fear in the face and declares, "I will not run. I will become stronger."
S.O.F.T. & Strong is being proud of who you are. It's knowing that you will stand again and again and again.
The 'S' is for Strong on the Inside (so you can be Soft on the outside) which is "a deep, unstoppable belief in yourself. It doesn't depend on the actions of anyone else. And it doesn't depend on your circumstance."
In this episode, here's what we're talking about:
(00:09) Beauty from the inside out – a 70 year old vibrant woman
(02:49) How Inner Strength looks on you
(06:15) 6 ways to grow that Inner Strength
___________________________________________
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
You laugh. You cry. You shout. You encourage. You love. You hate.
You are a woman and you feel. That's natural. And beautiful!
Mastering your emotions means you start to understand them. Is that even possible?
THE KEY to Aging Beautifully is to master these things we call "emotions".
Yes - it's all part discovering how to love yourself. And everything about who you are.
In this episode, we talk about:
-
Your 'Emotional Home' and why you live there.
-
How to step back and see what your emotions are really telling you.
-
The #1 Key to living in a place of adventure, freedom and love (forever).
Links mentioned in this Episode:
Our star example who stepped out of her comfort zone and shows us how to leap into a life you love: Rebecca Crespo @ Minimalism Made Easy
How to Create your own Personal Aging Beautifully Vision
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
Are you struggling with who see when you look in the mirror right now?
Are you disappointed at how your life is turning out? 50 plus already and you feel this pressure to hurry up or you're going to miss out on making your life what you want it to be.
Maybe you're not even sure what that looks like. You've lost sight of what you wanted.
Ready to JUICE THINGS UP? To rediscover excitement, fun, pleasure and a sense of self-respect?
In this podcast I show you how someone named Rebecca did just that. TOTALLY turned her life on its ear - from what she didn't want to what she did.
From a lifestyle that kept her trapped to a lifestyle that led her to a place filled with dreams and possibility. Would you MUCH RATHER LIVE that way?
In this podcast you are going to learn:
- How to determine what it is you don't want.
- How to decide what you want.
- The starting steps to actually making that life happen.
Come on in! Let's do this!
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
"Should she go for her dream of being a doctor even when her 50th birthday party had come and gone?"She decided, "Yes". She was going to go for it. And so she did.
Dreams are not always "just dreams" - they are also callings. Answering their call will light up your life in ways you can't even imagine. Even in this last quarter.
This week we're talking about a lady who had wanted to be a doctor for 25 years - she had even been accepted into medical school but had to drop out because life got in the way.
Unexpectedly a single mom of 4 little ones, no money and a career that took her sideways from what she had wanted.
By the time she was 57, she was in her 2nd year of Residency.
Find out how she dreamed such an amazing dream and made it come true.
Step into your S.O.F.T. & Strong:
S is for Strong on the Inside so you can be Soft on the outside.
O is for being open to the Magic in life and love.
F is for Fearlessly Loving
T is for being True to Yourself.
Your Aging Beautifully Vision keeps you growing. Keeps you dreaming. Keeps you loving your life.
Apply the Success Triad in each area to propel yourself into a meaningful life. A passionate life.
Take Action.
Use the Language of Success: Talk yourself through it.
Believe and Focus on a Compelling Future Vision
___________________________________________________
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
This is about the day my boob went rouge. Yes. Seriously. One of those humiliating moments in life that you either transform into a traumatic event or make into a funny story.
Sometimes one of the many 'parts' of us end up being something we don't enjoy very much. More like we 'put up' with it because we haven't much choice.
Body parts may fall into this category or... roles we have to play may also not be on our most popular list.
Aging Beautifully means that we learn to love it all. Find that point of pride in who we are and actually embrace ourselves. Like a hug.
Like feeling proud to be who we are because we're proud of how we accept who we are.
This podcast picks up from Episode 4 where we were led to view ourselves as a beautiful diamond. Describing that diamond in all her strengths and magic.
Diamonds have many facets, everyone unique and sparkling. Those are the sides we need to learn to explore and come to love.
When you find that kind of respect for who you are, you will feel yourself falling into a Sweet Life. And that's the goal, isn't it?
After all, Aging Beautifully from the inside out is all about loving all the parts of who you are.
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
SEASON 2 of S.O.F.T. & Strong starts off with some surprising advice. LIE ABOUT YOUR AGE!
Lying about your age is somewhat frowned upon, I know...but what if there is a time when it works IN YOUR FAVOR (and I'm not referring to getting into those places we would have liked to when we were underage).
In this podcast I show you what I discovered about the magical habit of thinking of yourself as younger - and how it can keep you from feeling OLD.Scientific evidence even stands behind this resulting in less chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and dementia. All from having permission to see ourselves differently than that person we sometimes don't recognize in the mirror.
I'm excited to know that I can feel whatever age comes naturally and end up with a more youthful life as a result. That leads to a life we can love.
What age do you honestly feel inside? Always go with that one... that's what we're talking about here at S.O.F.T. & Strong. Come join us!
___________________________________________
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
Two of the most important words you will ever say in your life is, "I am...".
The most important sentences you will ever speak in your life start with those words. "I am...".
You're so many things. And the most important thing, the strongest thing that you need to build up in your life is your IDENTITY.
"I am" identifies who you are. Once you know that, THEN you can stand up for yourself. Feel safe with yourself. Know that you've got this. Anything that comes along.
Even aging.
How do you do this? Become certain about WHO YOU ARE and lock that in.
That's what we're talking about in these 15 minutes. Come on in and start to believe in yourself!
_________________________________
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
I want you to imagine a bridge, a beautiful bridge, the best in your imagination that you can come up with.
Is it in a park? Is it in a garden?
And you're standing there at the beginning of this beautiful bridge.
Your bridge, your design. This is about your life.
Now I want you to start walking. Imagine walking over that bridge. And you're seeing all the beauty around you... maybe hearing the bubbling water in a canal, a stream beneath the bridge feeling a bit of breeze on your face. It's a beautiful walk.
And you're walking over that bridge step by step. Each one of those steps is a step forward from today. A step toward the woman YOU want to be AS YOU AGE.
It starts with 5 years from now. 10 years from now. 20 years...
WHO do you want to be? Imagine that person...then imagine the freedom of actually becoming WHO SHE IS.
Today's podcast is about Aging Beautifully - powerfully. Purposefully. Becoming all you want to be in your life.
Where do you start? And where will you end up? Come in for a quick thought provoking 15 minutes!
________________________________
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
I've seen it happen way too many times in way too many women's lives as they get older. They become defensive. They become very strong on the outside thinking that that is going to defend them on the inside.
And the result is that they just come across as being domineering, controlling, angry, but really what's happening is that they're scared on the inside and so they have to put on this strong front.
Now that's why I call this S.O.F.T. And Strong because the 'S' in the S.O.F.T. stands for being Strong on the inside. So you could be S.O.F.T. On the outside.
Now where we've been and what has happened to us in life always contributes to how we see ourselves. And by the time you reach this point in your life - at 50 and beyond - much of that is set.
How do you stay happy even though you're getting older? Love your life at 60? Enjoy yourself at 75?
The secrets lie in this podcast. Short. Sweet. To the point. Come on in and let's find that Sweet Life together!
Did you know the #1 Fear for women who are aging is that they will "disappear"? Be forgotten. Forget how to be vibrant and strong. If you still want to keep dreaming , hold onto your 'vibrant and strong' as time marches on, I have a short e-book just for you: "5 Reasons You Feel Your Dreams Disappearing After 50" (and what to do about it).
Aging beautifully takes being YOU - relaxing into who you are, who you were meant to be.
But how DO you overcome FEAR and step into being a confident, beautiful woman who makes her own decisions, believes in herself and follows after her heart?
The 2nd part of our Story from the last episode reveals 4 things that the heroine, Much Afraid, learned about becoming someone who feels valued and treasured and "good enough".
Listen to discover:
- The key to joy.
- The one action that releases the good even from a place of harm.
- The way to receive the greatest love any heart can hold.
- The one perspective that will set your purpose free.
It's a beautiful allegory for the heart. The last episode of Season 1 for S.O.F.T. and Strong opens the door of discovery, setting the tone for Season 2 - a Journey into your Real Identity and how to live it with passion.
______________________________________________________________________
Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who inspires women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She gives them new eyes and a new fire inside as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.
Her name was "Much Afraid". Scared of what was ahead.
Scared of not being loved by the people close to her.
Scared to step out on her own.
She didn't want love that hurt in any way. She didn't want Sorrow. She didn't want Suffering.
All she wanted was that good life. To reach the top of the mountain, the "High Places".
To be free. To find that sweet life lived with joy and peace, filled with good things.
In this story, we meet a heroine who stepped out of her comfort zone and took a risk. A chance. She's fictional but she's a mighty symbol of each of our hearts.
What will happen when I get old? Who will I be? How can I find the wings to fly me to my elderly years...with confidence. Without letting fear stop me.
Talking about all of this in this episode. It's a beautiful illustration of the human spirit and how we can walk this road from Not Enough to Brave Enough.
From Not Enough to... listen and find out what her name became when she had overcome the sorrow, the suffering and the fear of moving forward.
Read the book: "Hind's Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard. (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
Love yourself and others with the same zest you feel when you approach a bowl of jellybeans.
Jellybeans may not be able to fill up the cavern of need inside that we each have to be loved but, in this episode, we talk about what WILL fill that cavern. And it will light you up.
Remember: You are a heart walking on a Path call "life". You get to decide who you are and who you're going to be in the last chapter. It's never too late to find that person inside - the one you REALLY are.
______________________________________________________
Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who inspires women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She gives them new eyes and a new fire inside as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.
We fear that the magic starts disappearing along with our dreams after we hit the 50 marker in life. And magic - the wonder, the beauty, the miracles - is one of those things that makes life worth living. Could it be that losing the magic is what makes us feel as if we're aging?
Hear a story about a miracle that transformed the heart of one women from cold and hopeless to giving and overflowing with love. She looked up - what did she see that opened her eyes and woke up her heart?
Miracles are everywhere. And basking in their warmth will keep you from getting old - no matter your age.
In this episode, we look up...we consider what it means to be Open - the "O" in S.O.F.T. and how it lights you up, creates meaning in your life. Shift your focus from "getting old" to living in a much higher purpose.
The Secret Inner Hero Creed:
I am strong. I have been through hell and kept walking. I never give up in the face of challenge. I am a Warrior.
I am worthy. My heart is on par with all others. I have chosen to simply let my shine shine. I am Magic.
I am beautiful. I no longer need to be convinced. I choose to live from a heart of love where Not Enough transforms to Brave Enough. I am a Lover.
I am a Masterpiece. I choose to be the Master of who I am even when it gets messy. Growth trumps perfection every time. I am enough. I am the Sovereign of my life.
_______________________________________________________________
Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who inspires women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She gives them new eyes and a new fire inside as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.
CELEBRATING EPISODE #50!!
Your word... how do you describe yourself?
Are you in the naughty word group?
Or the generic "nice" group?
Some of us label ourselves pretty harshly.
A Christmas ad I saw recently touched my heart. What it suggested was that, for some kids who are fighting illness or long term traumas at the most festive time of year, their concerns are not being "naughty" or "nice" - they are just wrapped up in being "Brave".
I thought, "Wow! How true of every woman who has walked their Path for more than 50 years, navigating their way around the bombs in life or boulders dropping out of nowhere."
Put all other labels aside and just stamp "Brave" across their lives.You are....so Brave. And you have lived all these things because of who you are. That person inside can be described in a "WORD" that tells you exactly what you're here on this earth to do - to BE.
That key WORD describes your Super Power which comes out of all you've been through and is meant to bring light in some way to the world you live in. To give you purpose. Often you aren't even aware that you are living it. It's how YOU show up in the world.
In this episode, I give you the questions to ask yourself so you can strip away all the "naughty" and "nice" associations and find your passionate word. Your life word.
After you're 50, THIS is what will inspire you to stop focusing on the wrinkles, chin hairs and aging aches and pains to, instead, become engaged and enthralled with this last quarter term in your life.
Become a member of the Secret Inner Hero Society. This is your ticket in!
________________________________________________________
Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who inspires women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She gives them new eyes and a new fire inside as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.
Are you Brave Enough to embrace the cellulite? Did you know that women start worrying about aging in their 30's? If you live into your 90's, that's a LONG TIME to deal with the signs of a body naturally doing its thing.
But you can become one of the Brave ones. A member of the Secret Inner Hero Society who stand tall and wear a sparkly crown because YOU areI
Growing older is not for faint of heart - but transforming yourself from being "faint" to being bold and beautiful is not a difficult process either.
In this podcast, I show you how ONE WORD can be the light that leads you through any darkness and how finding that word and growing into it in 3 ways will totally change how you see yourself.
These few minutes will give you an entirely new way to live the next 25 or so year focusing on the adventure, the laughter and the LOVE that will give you the joy of living the rest of your life.
Follow me on Instagram for kinds of support to this podcast.
Visit www.braveenoughforlove.com for my blog AND to discover more about The Secret Inner Hero Society.
__________________________________________________________
Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who helps women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She supports them as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.
I love my mom - but, you know, your mom always seems "older" to you. You always think of her as WAY ahead of you in age and stage of life.
When you realize that you're starting to look like her...let's just say it gives you "pause".
But that's not the only thing we FEAR as we age.
Sometimes life is filled with surprises and hard things that make us simply want to put our hearts to sleep instead of having to face them or live through them.
But the question is this...how do you want to live the last phase of your Path in this life? Scared or Brave?
In this episode we're talking about the Wonder Woman way of the Inner Hero - what it takes to LIVE this life with courage. And there's really ONE THING you need the most.
Would love it if you'd join me.
How can we be FEARLESS AFTER 50? Maya Angelou was a model for us. From a life that could have easily defined her "Not Enough", she rose above and stood "Brave Enough" to be herself, to be her best and to walk her Path with courage as a woman thankful for the blessings.
This woman has a "Phenomenal" Story. She was brutally honest with her world about who she was even though the public spotlight was on her much of her life. Far from perfect by her own admission, she lived to learn and refused to hide.
Find out in this podcast what 4 Gifts Maya drew from inside of her deepest heart. Gifts that were her Secret Inner Heroes. Her many quotes and insightful wisdom reveal a woman who learned that backing down from who she really was is NOT an option.
You can discover the same 4 Amazing Secret Inner Heroes that live in you...because they ARE the best sides of you.
Download my new book FOR FREE right here at this link.
A woman with a heart of gold. A man who asked for her heart. A marriage she thought was made in heaven.
But then a nightmare worse than any of us can imagine...while she worked at bringing him home to live with her, she discovered that he was expecting a child with someone else and married her, as well!
This is Lea's Brave Story. How she walked the Path to a place where most women would have closed up their hearts and thrown away the key. And how she found her actual true love along the way.
Her Not Enough to Brave Enough Pathway... S.O.F.T. & Strong
***S - Growing her Strong on the Inside so she can stay Soft on the outside
O - Open to life and love, to magic and miracles
F - Feminine - stepping a Love stronger than FEAR
T- Staying True to Herself***Lea shows us how to be our own Hero. And go forward in life, not remain frozen in time. It's all here so come on in and have a listen.
Send any thoughts or comments or let me know that YOU have a Story you could share that would inspire other women to stay the course - to be Brave - to my Private Message on Instagram @braveenoughforlove_.
_______________________________________________________
GUESS WHAT!!??! I'm Bernice McDonald and I'm a Mindset Coach. I help women beyond 50 who are scared of love, of life, of seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age... I train them to rebuild their confidence, their 'Brave Enough'. To become their own Hero so they can fall in love with their lives again and go after whatever is in their hearts to do. Interested in becoming a member of the "Secret Inner Hero Society?" Just PM me on Instagram!
"I can't... He'll never fall for me."
"It's too late... I hate being naked!"
"I'm too old...can't teach an old dog new tricks."
SAY WHAT? If these Stories are true for you, then WHAT is that hiding in your beautiful heart? And WHY are you hiding it when you have so much love to give?
You will NEVER attract a great love when you're hiding your heart! That's what we're here to do - GET YOUR HEART READY!
In this episode, you are going to find out why many older women resemble a balloon AND how your heart is like a mighty wave on the ocean.
You are enough. MORE than enough to be loved, to love in ways you don't even know exist and it all starts HERE.
So...come on in for a listen. Only 13 minutes!
Is this YOU? "I'm not brave! I act like I'm brave. I try to talk brave. But I know I'm not..."
You and nearly every other woman on this planet. ESPECIALLY if you're moving on past your 40's and 50's and up the age line. Did you know that MOST women shrink back from life the older they get?
In today's episode you are going to hear about how I took a look at the older women in my life on my 19th birthday and almost decided to just give up. I was so scared that I was going to have to turn out like them...
But a kind of miraculous thing happened that day - a long time ago - which put me onto my own Path from Not Enough to Brave Enough. And eventually set the stage to go on some amazing adventures and meet an incredible man.
And the same insight I received that day is exactly the same insight that is going to inspire and stir up YOUR Brave Enough no matter how old you are now and no matter what it is that you think you're not Brave Enough to do.
Come join us. Come step into the world of the "Secret Inner Hero Society" and let's do this together! Let's be Brave Enough for love...for whatever life throws at us. Cause we got this!
See you in there!
You are lovely - inside and out. Lord knows, you're trying to be brave by getting out there and dating.
But you're asking yourself...Where are all the good guys? The ones who want a commitment - not just a fling?
Why is it that every time it seems as if the chemistry is working, it just fizzles out?
Is it me? Is it them? Is it that I just haven't met "the one" yet?
OK. First of all, you're not alone. You're not the only one.
Just because you're friends who you thought would have a tough time finding a guy are surprising you by finding exactly what they want and you're coming up with nothing, that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you.
You may just need to tweak your approach a little. Give a listen and see if any of the 3 things I talk about here ring any bells with you.
And then...for a few more to think about, download my the free assessment with the 5 things to ask your heart to see if you're Ready For Love.
Don't give up...GROW. Find out what's not working and then GROW into being the confident yet S.O.F.T. woman who has the choice of picking and choosing who she will love because she has so many pursuing her.
You got this, Gorgeous!
_______________________________________________
PSSST! Hey Beautiful...you know the love your heart is longing for - the one you only let yourself think about before you fall asleep or in your super quiet moments during the day? I WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT. And I know how you can find it. Reaching for it but being afraid to get hurt again is like having your foot on the gas and the brake at the same time. I have a very simple 2 step Strategy I use with women who want to FINALLY get free of the fear and go for every one of their dreams. Schedule a Brave Enough Strategy call and let's get you moving into the love you're afraid is just a dream.
Ever said, "I will never trust ANY man ever again..."? Yup - me, too. I've said that.
But let's think about this. What's the fallout of making a decision like that? You tie the whole world of LOVE to one relationship - or a few relationships that didn't work out.
You end up alone. Shut down. And in a pretty dreary place. Look how much magic you could be leaving on the table!
In this podcast we talk about how one woman who found herself suspicious, not only of men, but of everyone, came back to find the love of her life. She dug down deep and discovered her "grit". But she also gave herself a lot of grace to heal, to grow and to open again.
Guess what! You have this inside you, too. And activating your grit and your grace will bring out a true beauty you may not even realize is there. That's attractive. And that's BRAVE!
PSST! Do you still want the magic but are afraid to trust someone again? Does love seem like it's for everyone else but you? So what if you're pushing beyond 50...Something is standing between you and all your dreams. My passion is to help you discover what that is and open your heart to everything you want. Send me an Private Message on IG and ask me anything. @braveenoughforlove
What if...it's not out there? What IF love is not in the cards for me?
In this podcast we are going to address this FEAR and how, if you are becoming Brave in your life, you are going to attract love.
Confidence in who you are creates a confidence in who you are AS A WOMAN IN LOVE.
5 Steps to growing and nurturing the woman that are who lives in SUCCESS, however that looks for her:
- Grow more into a strong identity every day.
- Feed your mind at least 30 minutes a day.
- Move! Heighten your energy by moving your body and being intentional about how you talk to yourself.
- Focus on where you want to go, not on your FEAR.
- Give more than you receive.
And #6...book a consultation call with me. To see if you want to work with me, yes, but MORE than that to start moving you toward your dream. We'll determine where you are and where you want to go and the steps you can take to get you there. Be brave!
Pssst! Did you know that more women who lay out exactly what they want in love find that love - and in way less time? Your brain will find what you tell it you want. That's what I did - just after I turned 50 - and now I lead women through the process one on one, step by step at Brave Enough For Love. Are you ready? Answer these 5 Questions to find out.
Wonder Woman? Excuse me? I'm way beyond 50, flabby and far from being able to fly...so you're asking way too much.
Not asking you to LOOK like Wonder Woman.. . I'm asking you if you SEE yourself as someone who's like Wonder Woman?
What do you think? Could you?
How you see yourself is how you come across - in life AND on a date.
In this episode, I'm going to show you how this affects the way you even approach a date which affects how you feel and how a man feels when he's with you.
Shouldn't it be about both of you just having fun, enjoying your time together - no matter where that leads?
Here's a hint at the 3 Courage Pillars to help you step into being Brave Enough For Love:
Courage Pillar #1: Your "Why".
When you live from your BEST self, you will automatically love from that place too. Is this you?
Courage Pillar #2: The Truth Is:
You live, as we all do, in your Comfort Zone. You're telling yourself a Story about why you can't get out of it. Stay in that Story - and you will never find the love you want.
Courage Pillar #3: Hope-Filled Action:
Use these ideas to nail down YOUR Courageous Identity - the part of you that is Brave. Yes, Brave Enough For Love.
Come on in and have a listen!
Here's the link I mention in the podcast - the Man Plan Strategy Call with me.
The scariest thing about dating is making that FINAL decision..."Yes. I will spend the rest of my life with you." Right?
I this episode we talk about what it takes to, who you need to be, HOW to be as sure as you can be that your "Chooser" isn't broken.
Make these Courage Pillars you foundation:
Pillar of Courage #1: Know your WHY. You want to be one of the BRAVE ones. Brave Enough For Love.
Pillar of Courage #2: The Truth Is...
- You don't trust yourself to be a good "Man Chooser".
- You need to build your Courage muscle in order to step into your Brave Identity
Pillar of Courage #3: Hope-Filled Action: Do something that scares you! (suggestions in the podcast) This is all going to transform you into a good Man Chooser.
Next Brave step for YOU: Talk about your next move toward love. What's standing in your way? Where do you want to go? Click here and do this! SCHEDULE a consultation with me. No obligation to coach with me - let's just a "feel" for how Brave you are right now.
*****I'm Bernice McDonald, Courageous Love Coach, and I help women Beyond 50 to be Brave Enough For Love by partnering with them to create their Brave Identity and a "Perfect For Me Man Plan". Your love is out there so let's get your heart ready!
To be brave...is to take action even when you're scared.
To be brave...is to believe even in love even when you've moved the age needle past 50 and even when you've been hurt.
To be brave...is to hold a picture of the life you want just ahead while putting the steps in place to make it happen. Focusing there...living here.
To be brave...is to love. Period. To let it be who you are with no strings attached.
To be brave...is to create a Plan for love. A "Perfect For Me" Man Plan. (Click this link to find out how.)
To be brave...is to carry that Plan out.
All of this is what we're talkin' about in this podcast.
Come on in and discover if YOU are brave enough for love.
Stop and think - If you could have any love that you could dream up, what would it look like?
What's the #1 thing that stands between you and that exact life? What's stopping you?
Enter the Fiery FEAR Dragon.
Broken love leaves you shattered. And can drain you of all your hope. Especially if you're a woman who is pushing into her 50's, 60's, 70's. Your heart tells you that the same thing could happen AGAIN so it's better - easier - to just NOT try.
What if you choose the wrong man again? What if he treats you badly? A carbon copy of every other love.
In this podcast, I tell you how I faced one of the most TERRIFYING moments of my life - (besides getting out there and dating again after my divorce - at the age of 50)! Terrifying...but it became one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. AND it actually helped me to shrink that Fiery FEAR Dragon down to a little furry guy I now call "Fred".
Come on in and let me tell you how FACING and making friends with the Fiery FEAR Dragon who tells you all kinds of stories about why you CAN'T find love again will absolutely lead you to the life you dream of.
The greatest thing you can ever know is Over the Moon, Never Leave Me Love. Beyond 50? Dating...again?
R.E.L.A.X.! Part 5 Podcast - "X" is for "Excellence". Own your SOFT power. Discover how to take the most beautiful parts of you out on a date - and win the guy.
Moving back toward love after divorce is scary. Add being beyond 50 and it's downright terrifying at times.
Why would you put yourself through that? Because you deserve it to find that Great Love out there for you!
R.E.L.A.X. back into it. This is #5 in our Masterclass of How To R.E.L.A.X. into love. This is the "X" for Excellence and this is one of those easy kind of actions once you "get" it.
Inside - at your the heart of who you are - you carry a beauty, a light, a strength that is unlike anyone else. Own that and WHATEVER happens as you open up to love again will always keep you grounded and moving forward.
On a date. When you fall in love. When you are in the love bubble you will find.
Here is the link to the list of values I mention in the podcast in Pillar 3: Hope-filled Action. GET THE LIST and do this simple assessment to find out where your EXCELLENCE begins!
The R.E.L.A.X. into Love Masterclass:
Episode 32: R Relax
Episode 33: E Elevate his Heart
Episode 34: L Learn everything there is to know about you and about him
Episode 35: A Ask for your Needs to be met
Episode 36: X Excellence - Live in it always!
All the Steps on the Open To Love Again Pathway...
Step 1: Recognize your Old Story and your Power Story
Step 2: Find your S.O.F.T.
Step 3: Put your S.O.F.T. into action and R.E.L.A.X.
Step 4: Grow your Sparkle Power.
The last thing you want is to feel "invisible" again. As if you're not seen. You're not heard. And your opinion doesn't matter.
And, let's face it, when you've been divorced, it's most likely one of the reasons you ended up there.
But - you have worked through the hurt of it. You are rebuilding a life you're proud of. You don't want to give up on love entirely...So how do you remain open with someone and still have your needs met?
A beautiful, romantic, epic love can be yours. You can have it all because of this one thing.
How? Learn to "Ask".
Move into your Power Story. Smile at the world of men out of a heart of strength.
Lift your head. Breathe. Lean back.
R.E.L.A.X. into love again.
Power PIllar #1: Your Why: You want to experience a great love. You want to confidently know that your needs are going to be met.
Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is... a great love is possible only when you: 1. Respect yourself. 2. Believe you are heard, seen and respected. That's what "Asking" will give you.
Power Pillar #3: Hope-Filled Action.
1. Make a decision. What do you want? Start with asking your Creator who watches over you to send you a Knight. Use the words,
"I feel ____________".
"I want ___________".
- Start using those words with everyone around you. Be OK to feel and want or don't want...
In this episode: Part 4 of the Masterclass "R.E.L.A.X. into Love" series, you are going to learn something that EMPOWERS you more than anything else - "Ask" for what you need.
The R.E.L.A.X. into Love Masterclass:
Episode 32: R Relax
Episode 33: E Elevate his Heart
Episode 34: L Learn everything there is to know about you and about him
Episode 35: A Ask for your Needs to be met
Episode 36: X Excellence - Live in it always!
All the Steps on the Open To Love Again Pathway...
Step 1: Recognize your Old Story and your Power Story
Step 2: Find your S.O.F.T.
Step 3: Put your S.O.F.T. into action and R.E.L.A.X.
Step 4: Grow your Sparkle Power.
Does this sound like you? ...Exciting. Fun. Mesmerizing. Beautiful.
No? Hmmm - good news! She's in there! She's just hiding. And she's your Super Girl.
In this Podcast, I put this out for your thoughts...Maybe your Super Girl is being dis-empowered by a chunk of Kryptonite that is blocking your way to Over The Moon, Never Leave Me love.
We all have those pesky strength stealers that come down like brick walls on our Path, blocking the future.
R.E.L.A.X. You're learning how to take that beautiful heart of yours out into the world - and out on a date.
This is the 3rd of 5 in the "R.E.L.A.X. Into Love" series.
The "L" is for Learn. Learn everything you can about him (and about yourself, too). This is the PRIMARY tool in opening your heart and helping you to RELAX.
Power Pillar #1 - Your "Why": You want to experience a Great Love! (of course)
Power Pillar #2 - "The Truth Is...": Always be learning because happiness = progress.
- Learn about how you see yourself.
- Learn about how you see him.
Power Pillar #3 - Hope-Filled Action:
- Answer the questions discussed in the Podcast about who YOU are.
- Answer the same questions about him because it's fun, it focuses on seeing his heart, not his surface behavior AND it gives you a very attractive vibe!
The R.E.L.A.X. into Love Masterclass:
Episode 32: R Relax
Episode 33: E Elevate his Heart
Episode 34: L Learn everything there is to know about you and about him
Episode 35: A Ask for your Needs to be met
Episode 36: X Excellence - Live in it always!
All the Steps on the Open To Love Again Pathway...
Step 1: Recognize your Old Story and your Power Story
Step 2: Find your S.O.F.T.
Step 3: Put your S.O.F.T. into action and R.E.L.A.X.
Step 4: Grow your Sparkle Power.
Brave Enough For Love Website
Dating after divorce can be nerve-wracking. More so, if you're beyond 50.
Nervous, Self-conscious. Rusty... How do we do this??
R.E.L.A.X. Breathe. Let your Sparkle out.
That's the key. This is the 2nd in a 5 Part Masterclass on learning to R.E.L.A.X. Into Love Again.
You've got this! Join me as I offer some wonderful insights I discovered from the one and only Matthew McConaughey - yes, Mr. Handsome, himself. Amazing who you find out has experienced a bit of anxiety when looking for love.
And I have a feeling that, if you use the "Elevate" technique (the E in R.E.L.AX.), you are going to be invited on a 2nd date.... so be prepared.
Smile. Lean back. Be yourself in all your amazing perfect imperfection.
It doesn't take anything except being a woman who is simply a human being with a loving heart doing the best she can in this life. That's all. Even on a date.
The link to the Matthew McConaughey interviews I talk about are:
https://www.relevantmagazine.com/magazine/the-spiritual-renaissance-of-matthew-mcconaughey/
https://www.goalcast.com/2020/01/17/matthew-mcconaughey-camila-alves-relationship/
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM: @braveenoughforlove_
Part 1 in a 5 part Masterclass: How To R.E.L.A.X. and Invite Love In
The 'R' in R.E.L.A.X. is to Receive.
Being strong on the inside begins to build up your ability to Receive.
The R.E.LA.X. Method of Loving comes from that place. It's Strength in Actionhelping you to put your true self out there into the world. Into relationships of every kind. Into love.
As a woman who may be reaching toward those beyond 50 years, you know what it is to give and give and give. You may not have had to "receive" for a very long time because, well, you're good at taking care of yourself and having no one to take care of you.
But now you realize that if your are really going to Open To Love Again, you have to learn to give what a man offers. "Receiving" makes a man feel like a Hero.
How do you do that when you tend to push things away and you're not even sure how to simply accept and say "Thank you" anymore.
That's what we're talking about in this Podcast, the first part of the R.E.LA.X. and Invite Love In Masterclass.
Our Pathway back to living with a wide open heart is:
S.O.F.T.en -
- Strong on the Insider so you can be Soft on the outside
- Open to life and to loving
- Fabulously Feminine
- True to Yourself.
This leads to Strength in Action: R.E.L.A.X.
- Receive
- Elevate the hearts of others
- Learn
- Ask
- Xcellence (live in yours)
A strong, soft heart smiles at the world and invites others in.
One thing I hear from many women over 50 is that there is a serious lack of "good men" left out there. The one thing I say back is...don't give up because there is still one who is looking for someone just like YOU!
Dating can be seen as a challenge - or dating can be seen as fun. It just depends how you look at it.
An article I recently found said that today is the day of CHOICE. You can write your list and you can expect to find someone to fit it. You don't have to settle. That's a good thing...
The problem can come when we focus on our list every time we sit down with a guy and decide how many things he checks off. You will more-so find his flaws than see his heart - or the good things about him he may be hiding.
So, in this episode, we're talking about the 2 lists you DO need to write down about who you're looking for.
But THEN - there's something else to consider. If you were go out on a date with YOU, how would you come across? What would he be picking up from you?
We forget to see things through his eyes. And we forget to relax and be ourselves which could also give him a false sense of what we're all about.
The 3 Power Pillars for this week are:
Power Pillar #1: Your "Why": To know who you want and who you don't want - and then find the person that fits the best with you.
Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is... Be honest in your evaluation of yourself. Are you happy with who you are? Or do you try to be someone you're not because you're trying to impress him? Or maybe come across as someone who is fearful and wary and all closed up?
Power Pillar #3: Hope-Filled Action. What are doing about this?
- Write your 2 lists.
- Do the 3rd exercise I walk you through and think about living the Perfect Day with the Love of Your Live. Who are you in that Story? Consider what you would need to do in order to move more joyfully toward becoming that person.
**As they say: "If you aim at nothing, you're sure to hit it." So don't aim at nothing - know what your dream looks like!
I'd love to hear how you did with these exercises. Send me a Private Message. Follow me @opentoloveagain on Instagram and send me a PM
What do YOU believe is the most beautiful thing about you? I know. If you're a woman, especially one who is inching her way beyond that 50 mark, you won't be able to say it out loud.
It's not your hair - though that style is nice on you.
It's not your weight - no matter how much you think you'd feel more beautiful if you lost 10 (or20) pounds.
It's not your intelligence or that you can lead a meeting better than anyone else.
In this podcast we're talking about what IS the most beautiful thing about you - and it's yours alone. No comparison to anyone else needed. No tweaking. It's already there and has always been. You just need to tap into it.
Honestly, it's what my Knight says attracted him to me. And what hundreds of other men agree is what they are seeking in someone.
This simple insight will be the key that lets you open the door of the cage and set yourself free. You will stop "looking in" on your life and start LIVING your life when you know this.
This is the core of Sparkle Power. Our 3 Power Pillars for this week are:
Power Pillar #1: What's your "Why" your Purpose? I want to prove I'm lovable or I AM lovable.
Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is... This is what I've been seeing but THIS is what I'm going to see from now on.
Power Pillar #3: Hope-Filled Action - What are you going to do next?
Follow me on Instagram: @opentoloveagain PM me with comments or questions. I'd love to hear from you.
Let your Sparkle out!
You can stay in your anger and watch your heart slowing closing down forever...
Or you can choose the other Path - the Life Is Simple Path. And come out feeling really proud of who you are becoming...with a little Sparkle thrown in.
Sparkle Power means stepping into your S.O.F.T.
S Strong on the Inside
O Open to new solutions (in life, in love)
F Feisty, fun and feeling
T True to Yourself
Running into problems with people is a normal activity on the Path of Life. Opening to love again means you need to stop fearing it.
In this week's Podcast, we'll talk about facing conflict (even in love), bringing it down to size and managing your emotions so that you come out on the other side more as a leader than an angry hot mess.
Power Pillar #1: Know Your Why: Who do you want to be - always?Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is... Are you applying the "Life is Simple" principles?
Power Pillar #3: Hope-Filled Action: Are you taking Hope-Filled Action or Hurt-Filled Action?
Sometimes you wonder if it even matters that your heart was so broken. Does anyone care?
That's your heart speaking. And it matters. You matter.
There is more to you than just heartbreak and a difficult life.
And today I wanted you to think about that. Because, IF YOU'RE EVER GOING to get beyond the wall that pain can put you behind - afraid to come out because it might happen again - then you MUST get this.
You have to see that there's no person vendetta against you. God is NOT using you for target practice. What I tell you in this podcast is a simple truth...about you, about you finding your heart again and about WHY you can't give up.
The plain truth is - we need you. All of us need you. Not just the man whose heart is waiting to be loved by yours. We. ALL. Need. You.
Come on in and have a listen.
What creates SPARKLE? What lights you up, attracting love TO you rather than you having to go chasing it?
Wouldn't it be awesome to have permission to be FUN, FEISTY, SASSY like the Downy Un-stoppables commercial lady? Watch it here.
What kind of aging do you want to do? What kind is in your heart?To Open To Love Again, you need to be True to Yourself (the 'T' in S.O.F.T.).Take a stand for who you are. Let your "Unstoppables" commercial lady out into the open and find out what you stand for by thinking through:
- what you absolutely CAN'T stand
- what makes you madder than a hornet?
- what makes you cry for someone or a situation because it stirs you so deeply?
Even these are "your heart" and staying youthful and vibrant means owning this part of yourself.
Here's another link mentioned in this podcast. Listen to this beautiful song and sing the words TO YOUR OWN HEART. I Will Fight For You.
Here are you Power Pillars for you to work on this week:
Power Pillar #1: Your Reason Why: I want to open to love again.Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is....I have SO MUCH life in me. A reason to be here.
- I have a light to shine.
- I have a love to live.
- I have a song to sing.
Power Pillar #3: Hope-filled Action:Fight for your heart. List what cheeses you off. Use it to feel that power inside to begin to ignite your passion from the inside out.
I'll show you Part 2 of this the next Episode: Podcast #28.
Come on in and discover the Secret. I'd love it if you'd join me.
YOU are amazing. You have your own light to shine. Love to give. Song to sing. Step into your S.O.F.T.
S Strong on the inside so you can be Soft on the outside.
O Open to life and to love
F Feminine
T True To Yourself
For more about becoming a Feisty, Fun, FABULOUS woman over 50 who FIGHTS for her heart and is learning to Open To Love Again, listen to other episodes at www.opentoloveagain.com
No - it's not the nudge, nudge, wink, wink you may think a man wants.
It's not you being totally on his side, under his thumb or never giving him grief.
What a man really wants is actually something that YOU, as woman, especially beyond 50, can easily do...because you know about the heart.
And THIS is about the heart.
Life is Simple
Remember - you ARE a heart walking your Path through life. It's as simple as that.
Everything revolves around these 2 things:
- How you see yourself.
- How you see others.
Own the Stories you have been telling yourself in these 2 simple key perspectives and you will change your life.
Take back the control of who you are right here, right now.
Learning what a man wants will open your heart again to see him as a comrade not an enemy.
Come on in and discover the Secret. I'd love it if you'd join me.
YOU are amazing. You have your own light to shine. Love to give. Song to sing. Step into your S.O.F.T.
S Strong on the inside so you can be Soft on the outside.
O Open to life and to love
F Feminine
T True To Yourself
Who are you? A woman who "takes charge" all the time and avoids feeling much of the time? I call this woman "Sarah".
Or a woman who feels and senses and has an amazing intuition? I call this woman "Collette".
Both are amazing, capable, impressive women with big hearts. But one lives in her "head" and one lives from her "heart".
Though both have use of what we call the "masculine" and "feminine" sides of us, one rarely lets the feminine show up. Which one do you think it is?
In this episode we're talking about the "F" in S.O.F.T.
S = Strong on the inside
O = Open to life and to love
F = Feminine
T = True to Yourself
An heart open to love has a strength inside that allows a beautiful softness to emerge on the "outside". Allowing yourself to find your feminine is often tied to how you answer the question, "Am I enough for someone to fight for me?"
Power Pillar #1: Your "why". Whatever you do, whatever decisions you make for how you choose to act or "be" are based on the answer to this one question.
Power Pillar #2: The Truth Is...The answer to this one question must be "Yes".
Power Pillar #3: Hope Filled-Action - A sense of peace and confidence will start to grow when you step out of life for a few moments every day and do this.
The app I referenced here: CALM (I don't get any commissions from this - it's just a wonderful app).
Episode 24: At Last...My Love Has Come Along. Is My Heart Open?
Yup. Even after 50, my prayer every now and again was, "Lord...send me one of your Knights. I know you have to have some out there."
Especially when it seemed so hopeless. WERE there any Knights left who would want a woman like me?
Well...God didn't disappoint. And, actually, has a sense of humor. Because on a cold January night, my Knight showed up. And rescued me when my car wouldn't start.
But only when I had done some work on my heart so that I was ready for him. If it had been a few months sooner, I would have ignored him. The timing was perfect.
He danced me down the aisle to Etta James song, "At Last..." because he knew I still held on to some FEAR and a sense of failure. Is that not something a Knight in Shining Armor would do? Thank goodness my heart was open enough to start growing into our love.
I talk about what I had been doing to get my heart ready in this podcast episode.
Sneak Peek: I was practicing these four Open-Heart Rules:
-
I will trust my boundaries.
-
I will follow my heart.
-
I will say what's in my heart.
-
I will be surprised.
I would love it if you would join me!!
P.S. Here's a great fun way to start to know yourself and get ready meet and love your own sweet Knight. Take the quiz: What's your Feisty Beyond-50 Love Personality ?
Did you know you have a "Lowell" in you? Lowell is my new Hero. He's clinically blind but he ran in the Amazing Race Canada, 4th Season. I was blown away!
I have learned a lot from Lowell about facing life and it's obstacles. Sometimes the Path that you and I are walking is very similar to the Amazing Race. Ever see love that way?
What's the next obstacle? The next clue? You rip open the envelope and SURPRISE! There's something new you have to tackle.
In this podcast, discover the "Lowell" you have inside of you and how letting the same courage he draws from become YOUR COURAGE will open your heart. Not only to life (cause that's where you practice) but to love again.
Come on in and have a listen...you may end up in 1st place!
www.opentoloveagain.com
You slowly wake up...you know it's time to get out of bed. But then - YOU REMEMBER. Your life is so tough.
"I can't face it. I can't do it."All you want to do is pull the covers up and go back to sleep - like for 3 more days.
Been there. But you know what I found out? You feel worse when you just black it all out. Keeping yourself asleep keeps your heart asleep.
Hiding denies something I'm going to tell you about from ever getting out there and proving that YOU have a reason - even a right - to be here!
And YOU were meant to be awake.
You have a life to live.
A song to sing.
A light to shine...and it's not HARD to find what yours is.
The bonus? If there is anything that will attract the love of your life as you have never known before...this is it.
Come join me and give yourself a chance **to dare to begin to have a reason to swing those dainty feel over onto that cold floor and say, "Look out, world...I'm up!"
(Psssst... here's a P.S. for you in case you need a review.)**Light up the world with your S.O.F.T.
- S = Strong on the inside so you can be Soft on the outside
- O = Open heart, open to life
- F = Feminine: delightfully, creatively relaxing into being a woman
- T = True to yourself
So this Sleeping Beauty princess...how do you think she reacted once she realized what happened to her and woke up?
Did she shrink back and become very afraid of life? Or do you think, in typical Disney Princess style, that she pulled her shoulders back, lifted her chin, straightened her crown and determined that she would not let anything like that happen to her again - nor to the people she loved?
As they say, "Our greatest impact comes form our greatest pain." (or something like that)
It's amazing to discover that life doesn't have to defeat you.
YOU have a life to live. A light to shine.
A Courageous Love Signature to write on the hearts of the world.
That's what we're talking about here...in this podcast.
Did you know that you can actually deepen love through the eyes?
One of the most fun, romantic, juicy times of dating is when you can't look away, right? Words stop. You get that flutter happening in the pit of your stomach and it's like time stands still.
Secret: Keep that kind of gazing up (it's called the Soul Gaze) and it will reveal to you all that is needed to touch that man deeply where it matters most...for now and always.
Seeing and being seen are two of the most important cures for fearing to love again.
- Cultivate the most romantic love you will ever know by practicing the "Soul Gaze".
- Truth Is...if you are hiding your heart, you will have a difficult time seeing into the heart of another and letting him see you.
- Who do you want to be "in love"? What's your Love Signature?
It's all here - in this podcast.
You WERE meant to fly. You were not meant to stay small, hiding because you've been hurt before and you're afraid now that it will happen again.
The Story, "I can't help it. It's just the way I am" is not gonna work for you if you're ever going to bring out the magic that's been planted in your heart.
The world needs you and what's on your heart.
Those you love - the ONE you love or will love - needs you to show up exactly as you are... heart full of love.
Giving.
Contributing.
Supporting in all the ways you are meant to.
Step off the ledge of risk, of taking a chance and SPROUT your wings. Your life - your LOVE - will never be the same and LIFE will be so much more incredibly rich and exciting.
Start here in this very episode. Look forward to seeing you inside.
Have you ever had someone's words absolutely CRUSH your heart? It can happen anywhere along the Path of our life but particularly when it comes to love. You are vulnerable because our hearts reach for love our whole lives long.
What do you do with that? You tell yourself a Story and, if you're not careful, your Story becomes a permanent song you sing.
"This always happens to me".
"I'm not meant for love".
"I'm just not the kind of person who finds love."
This is not true for you. This is pricking your finger on Sleeping Beauty's spindle and putting your heat to sleep because it feels safer that way.
In today's episode, we talk about how NOT to resign yourself to the fact that you are a victim held in the paws of bad luck or a recurring Story that keeps you forever stuck in a loop of dreams not coming true.
THIS is how you wave the Magic Wand of Truth and flip that Story over to free yourself - and suddenly find yourself moving ahead with this gigantic release of what's magic about life.
See you in there!
Somebody comes along as you're walking your Path...living your life, doing your best. And they blow your world apart.
What do you do? Well... if you're like me you tell yourself a Story. Like...I guess I'm not enough.
That's just one choice. You could also wave the Magic Wand and flip that Story to the other side - and see life from an entirely different perspective.
You, m'Lady, have a Treasure Chest filled with amazingness inside that incredible heart of yours. And that's the secret - find the treasure, find the part of you that helps you make sense of this crazy life and all its hurts.
You know this, right? YOU can do anything you set your mind to. That's where the magic happens.
Even if you're a woman who is 50 and hiding behind her "I'm not enough" Story.
I have 3 women who have become my heroes. I don't know any of them personally but I admire them with all my heart because they ignored the "age" thing and took on the world.
Their biggest accomplishments came AFTER they were 70, 80 and 90. Yup! For real!
Listen and be amazed. And know...YOU are powerful beyond measure and SO FAR from being done yet.
(Remember: Because you are so feisty, fun and (even secretly) fabulous...any man would be absolutely blessed to have you loving him.)
How many times has someone hurt you? What has happened to your heart, as a result? Even though you have SO MUCH love to give inside, you end up closing up and deciding it just isn't worth it.
What IF there was a way to stand strong but stay soft? What IF you could open your heart wide AND be the one to decide if you let someone back in there or not?
With confidence.
With courage.
With the joy of just being who you are and deciding to love somebody because you simply can?
Here's what I did (and what lots of women have used as the secret) to cross over that line of fear to letting all that fabulous sparkle out. It's a place of freedom, relaxing into love again and... as it happened for me, attracting the man of my dreams was a bonus!
Have you ever noticed how every Hallmark movie has a pattern? You can predict exactly what's going to happen but we love them anyway because we LOVE love.
Despite the fact that maybe you can only watch so many in a row, there is something you can learn from the love we see in these movies that can apply to us in real life.
And it's actually a comforting, reassuring fact with a message that tells you... Yes! You can do this. You can find love and you can make it work. There's a secret here that you need to know.
Come on in to this episode and I'll share it with you.
Even a feisty, fabulous Beyond 50 woman needs guidance sometimes. You may have a lot of great things going on in your life - but love might not be one of them.
We lose our hearts sometimes - along with our trust, our confidence and our certainty. Which way to go? How do you rebuild trust when you're afraid of being hurt again?
There's a Path. A bridge of 4 steps or Open Phases, I call them.
If you work follow them, they will lead back into the arms of a good man. I know. Looking back, it's exactly what I did.
It begins with a true assessment of what you believe your Story is and just softens and strengthens you from there.
In this podcast, you'll discover that Path. it's not as intimidating or difficult as you might think. And the end result? Love, of course - and the taming of that Fiery FEAR Dragon.
Meet you in the episode!
Love is what keeps your heart warm like sitting beside a fireplace, sipping hot chocolate, all snuggled up with your grandbaby.
Love is also found in the romantic dance that we dance with the partner who sees us, cares about us, want to see us happy and fulfilled in this life. And would die to make that happen.
It's a normal, natural desire to want and cherish that kind of love, too.
But one thing stops us. The FEAR that jumps out at as after someone has hurt us.
It's as if we prick our finger on a spindle like Sleeping Beauty and fall asleep. The spindle is the pain. And it's our hearts who go to sleep while we're still walking around doing our best to live...often without love. Not because it isn't out there but because we've closed it.
The drawbridge to the castle is shut and a huge wall of thorns grows around.
A Fiery FEAR Dragon stands on guard to ensure that we are safe. No one is getting in there to hurt us again.
In this episode we face that Fiery FEAR Dragon once more but THIS TIME, we're going to name him "Fred" and thank him for being our Protector. He's just doing his job.
However...there are sometimes more important reasons to step out from behind our protector, Fred, the Fiery FEAR Dragon, and take a chance. LOVE would be one of those reasons. Yes, it takes courage. But courage is something also hiding inside of you.
Come see if this could be the door into refuting the Stories the Dragon tells you to keep you sleeping. Perhaps it's time to step into that Courage and open up to love again.
Referenced here is the FREE mini-course: Time To Wake Up Your Heart. (Sorry - no longer available.)
Tigger? Eeyore? Princess? A closed heart shows up, in many cases, like one of these.
You may not even realize it because it's a kind of behind the scenes "spell" you fall under depending on the condition of your heart.
A closed heart "acts" out as much as an open heart does and THAT, my beautiful lady, affects your love life. How you are with a guy. How you respond, how you see him, sense him, feel him.
It all matters - just like your heart does. Yes! Your longings for love and happiness are incredibly important and deserve to be heard.
What's behind the "identity" you live with? The Stories you tell yourself. Conclusions you jump to because of what kind of things you've walked through on your Life Path - in life and in love.
So...Tigger or Eeyore? Which are you?
Maybe your experience with love has left you feeling as if your heart is Sleeping Beauty, deeply asleep. You have built a thick wall of thorns around your "castle" in order to keep anyone out, not to mentions the Fiery FEAR Dragon that stands guard at the door.
You are hiding from being hurt again. No wonder because hurt is just that - PAIN!
But there is another way to live. It's waking that heart up and bringing it out into the open. You can begin to do that by learning to R.E.L.A.X. - an acronym that allows you to both stand up for your heart and find a new way to "be" with a man.
Let this little bit of light start to wake you up. Find your courage. This episode will introduce you to what it means to R.E.L.A.X.
Let's wake up your heart to love again in all the ways only YOU can do.
BONUS DOWNLOAD: Free e-Book: How to R.E.L.A.X. on a Date
We seem to be on a "running" theme right now with talking about love.
Hey, lovely ladies, who want to be in love but are frustrated with the results of your search... No man "gets" you. No sees your heart. It seems as if you are alone even when you're with someone.
Did you know that feeling this way can be a result of running? It's exhausting. These are the kinds of signs that show up when we are focusing on all we are running from. Such as...our pain.
There s a big difference when we shift to a new way of seeing life - and love. Instead of running from our pain, we can shift to run toward our future. And make it a sun-filled future.
This podcast lays this shift out for you.
(Don't forget to sign up for future episodes if you're gleaning anything from these podcasts. And share with other ladies who may be needing some time walking in a bit of new light.)
Sign up for the "Heart Whisper" weekly Love Letters written to encourage you on your Journey into living with a wide open heart! Sign up at Open to Love Again
Too many amazing women 50 and Beyond give up. They hear words that hurt their hearts or they come up against a situation that just seems too hard...and they give up.
What do you do when that happens?
Life tries to kick you to the curb. Love tries to knock you down - and keep you there.
But there's something way bigger than you that can pull you back up again.
- Purpose.
- Truth.
- Hope-filled Action.
The 3 Power Pillars that you can stand on. You are here for a reason. And you are who you are for a reason.
Come on into this episode and put your feet back on the ground in a way that will lift you up and keep you going. Never give up.
It's always about the heart. Your heart. His heart.
And knowing the heart of the one you love. Know what? That's the secret to love which Maggie and Ike learn in on of my favorite chick flicks, "Runaway Bride".
What should be the key quality you go for in a man?
And what should be the key quality you develop when opening to love a man?
It may be different than you think.
Find out in this episode. Let me know what you think!
I love Chick Flicks! Did you know that romances speak to our hearts because they actually tell us a lot ABOUT our hearts?
Remember Julia Roberts in "Run Away Bride"? What does her Story have to tell you about your heart? About love?
She was trapped in her life. So trapped she kept attracting all the wrong guys. If she had continued to go down the road where she was heading, she would have ended up in a very sad place when she was in the Beyond 50 age range...
Beyond 50 can be a time when we are the most fun, the most fulfilled, the most feisty and feminine. And we can be in love with someone who "gets" us. Our "Ike" - Maggie's man in our Run Away Bride Story.
If you do what she did - your heart will open wide to a love that is going to rock your world.
Worksheet
And the Story continues...the Run Away Bride Story. Last podcast we started talking about one of the most popular chick flicks on the planet.
Her Story is a parallel to many of us who have run away from life (and love) by shutting down our hearts. Hiding. And, saddest of all, believing that we are who others say we are- most of the time without even realizing it.
What Maggie in the Runaway Bride did to re-invent her life (and open her heart to love) is what will also set each of us free.
It's what I did. And we talk about it in today's episode right here.
Just when you least expect it - BAM! They sneak up on you and knock you down. Not only that, but they'll keep you down and sit on your chest for the rest of your life if you"re not careful.
Shame. And her partner: the Fiery FEAR Dragon. These two can be your nemesis OR they can inspire you to simply be human and growing.
They can stop you from opening your heart again OR inspire you to look them both in the eye, tell them whose boss and embrace the fact that YOU are a woman who is REAL and accepts who she is.
You decide.
You are going to wake up every day, afraid of something. Stepping into your courage to do something anyway, no matter how much afraid you feel to try something, to go for something, to begin something new, to go towards a dream - that is going to take courage but a courage that is there in the presence of fear.
(3:04) Every morning, make a decision to be Courageous(6:13): Rocks, Boulders and Bombs in Your Life(10:08) Do I Have the Courage To Love Again?
Special download: My Stick Figure Drawing of this Journey.
When Is a man like a Tree Stump?
Your heart hurts. It closes down. It's easy to believe the Stories you tell yourself that say it's because something is wrong in life or you're just not meant for love.
But there is so much more to your Story - and your heart.
When is a man like a tree stump? Listen and find out... See you in there!
Women. Divorced. Heartbroken. Beyond 50, 60, 70. It's easy to close down your heart and simply give up. But giving up love means that you also give up pieces of your life.
In this premiere episode of "Open To Love Again", discover:
- How the Stories you are telling yourself are blocking you
- How a woman like Sleeping Beauty
- How Life is Simple, you have what it takes - you just lack the Courage.
We are going to travel this LIfe Path together for a while. And you are going to activate a Courage inside that you never believed was possible.
During this time, you will decide if you want to find love again, find yourself empowered to simply be YOU and remove the barriers that keep you from the dream in your heart.
Come on in and let's get started!