154. Feeling Stuck? How to Turn a Midlife or Identity Crisis Into a Powerful Rebirth
Release Date: 12/16/2025
170. How to Know When It’s Time to Pause, Pivot & Recalibrate (Season Finale)
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
In this season finale of the But First She Failed podcast, Paola shares the emotional realization that led her to pause, pivot, and recalibrate this season of life and business. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally stretched thin, stuck in survival mode, or disconnected from the life you’re working so hard to build, this episode is for you. Through personal stories, practical signs to look out for, and transformational questions to ask yourself, Paola opens up about motherhood, burnout, hustle culture, ambition, and the pressure high-achieving women often feel to keep pushing...
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169. Why High-Achieving Women Are Relearning Femininity in Motherhood, Marriage, and Leadership with Johanna Mäkilä-Manninen
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
In this episode of But First, She Failed, host Paola Soares talks with women’s coach, podcaster, and feminine leadership mentor Johanna Mäkilä-Manninen for an honest conversation around feminism vs femininity, feminine leadership, and what it truly means to embrace womanhood in today’s world. Together, they explore why so many high-achieving women feel burned out, disconnected, and stuck in constant hustle mode—and how reconnecting with femininity can transform the way women show up in motherhood, marriage, leadership, business, and everyday life. Johanna shares how ambitious,...
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168. The Great Millennial Career Crisis: Why You Feel Stuck (Even If You Started) + What To Do Next
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
There’s a quiet crisis happening right now—and most women think it’s just them. Women who followed the “right” path… built the career… started the business… and still feel stuck, inconsistent, or unfulfilled. In this episode, Paola Soares, host of the But First, She Failed podcast, unpacks what’s really behind the Great Millennial Career Crisis—and why so many women feel lost even after doing everything “right.” This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice and dives into the deeper truth behind: Feeling stuck in your career or business Starting and stopping...
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167. How I Almost Gave Up on My Dreams: The Story That Changed Everything
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
What happens when you slowly start becoming the version of yourself you never wanted to be? In this deeply personal episode, Paola Soares shares a story she doesn’t often talk about—the season where she felt stuck, disconnected from her purpose, and dangerously close to giving up on her dreams altogether. Between leaving her career in national news and launching her podcast, there was a chapter filled with uncertainty, unfulfilling jobs, and a quiet but heavy question: “Is this really it?” This episode walks through the internal battle of starting and stopping, losing momentum, and...
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166.How Limiting Beliefs Are Secretly Holding You Back (+ 7 Common Ones to Break) (REWIND)
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your strategy, your circumstances, or your resources—but the beliefs you’ve been carrying for years? In this Rewind episode of But First, She Failed, Paola Soares dives into the powerful and often hidden topic of limiting beliefs—the subconscious thoughts and narratives that shape how women show up in their careers, businesses, and everyday lives. These beliefs are often formed early on and reinforced over time, quietly influencing decisions, confidence, and the willingness to take action. The challenge? Most people don’t even realize...
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165. Reset Your Focus for Q2: 5 Steps to Get Clear & Aligned To Have Your Best Year Yet
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
Feeling scattered, distracted, or stuck—and not sure what to focus on next? In this episode of But First, She Failed, Paola Soares shares a powerful Q2 reset with 5 simple steps to help women get clear, realign their priorities, and build real momentum—without overcomplicating the process. This episode walks through how to slow down, refocus, cut distractions, and simplify what actually matters in this season—so progress finally starts to feel aligned again. Whether navigating a transition, building something new, or trying to get back on track after feeling inconsistent, this...
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164. AI Can’t Replace This: How to Stand Out & Become Irreplaceable with MyStoryPro AI Founder Patrice Poltzer
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
In this episode, Host Paola Soares sits down with former Today Show producer, storyteller, and founder of MyStoryPro AI, Patrice Poltzer, for a powerful and timely conversation on how to stand out in the age of AI—without losing your voice. As artificial intelligence continues to flood social media, email, and online platforms with content, many women are feeling more invisible than ever. The question isn’t just how to use AI—it’s how to rise above it. Patrice brings a unique perspective, blending her background in national television with her expertise in storytelling and emerging...
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163. She Will Not Fail: A Word for When You Feel Lost, Discouraged, or Ready to Give Up on Your Purpose
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
In this episode, Host Paola Soares delivers a powerful and timely message for the woman who feels stuck, discouraged, or on the verge of giving up on what God placed on her heart. After planning a completely different episode, Paola felt led in a different direction—sharing a word rooted in scripture, personal experience, and a recent moment where things didn’t go as expected. In this honest and faith-filled conversation, she opens up about a recent setback in her own journey and the deeper lesson it revealed—one that speaks directly to seasons where nothing seems to be working despite...
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162. 5 Hard Lessons From 5 Years of Podcasting: The Truth About Success No One Talks About
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
Five years ago, Paola Soares pressed record on the very first episode of the But First, She Failed Podcast — not knowing who would listen, where the journey would lead, or how much she would grow along the way. In this episode, Paola pulls back the curtain on the real behind-the-scenes of five years of podcasting — the lessons, the mindset struggles, the moments of doubt, and the breakthroughs that only came through persistence and faith. For anyone who has ever started something meaningful — a business, a calling, or a dream — and questioned whether to keep going, this conversation...
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161. Why You Can’t Find Your Purpose: Quiet Grief, Identity Shifts & Clarity with Nicole O. Salmon
BUT FIRST, SHE FAILED - Career Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Growth Mindset, Confidence
In this episode, Host Paola Soares sits down with author and Purpose Alignment Coach Nicole O. Salmon to unpack a surprising reason many women struggle to “find their purpose”: quiet grief—the losses we move past but never truly mourn. If you’ve been praying for clarity but still feel stuck, disoriented, or emotionally drained, this conversation will help you name what’s really going on and take a healthy next step forward. Inside this episode, we talk about: How unprocessed grief can clog discernment and distort self-perception Identity shifts that happen as you evolve (not...
info_outlineIn this episode, Host Paola Soares explores what really happens when life feels “off,” and why what many people call a midlife crisis or identity crisis is often something far healthier — a midlife readjustment, a season of reflection, realignment, and personal rebirth.
Paola breaks down the difference between an unhealthy midlife crisis (reactive, fear-driven, impulsive) and a healthy midlife awakening (intentional, reflective, and aligned), and shares why research shows that only 10–20% of adultsactually experience a true midlife crisis. For most people, feeling stuck, restless, or misaligned is part of a normal life transition — an invitation to reinvent yourself with clarity and purpose.
In this conversation, we dive into:
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Why you may feel stuck, lost, or questioning your direction
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Signs you’re in an awakening or identity shift
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What misalignment is trying to reveal
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How to move from crisis → clarity → rebirth
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Practical reflection questions to help you reconnect with your calling
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How this season can become a powerful new beginning
If you’re navigating a midlife transition, feeling behind, or craving deeper alignment in your career, purpose, or identity, this episode will help you reframe your season and step into it with confidence and hope.
🌿 Join the Dream Call (Tomorrow!) Dec. 17th at 12pm EST
Paola also shares an invitation to the upcoming Dream Call — a guided, reflective session designed to help you pause, reconnect with your purpose, and dream again for 2026.
During this live call, you’ll explore guided journal prompts to:
📝 Clarify your goals and desires for 2026
📝 Identify the projects, ideas & dreams you feel called to
📝 Hear God more clearly in your next season
📝 Release what’s no longer serving you
📝 Step into the new year with deeper peace and intention
This is the last free call before the January launch of The Purpose Co. Accountability Community.
💻 Let’s Connect:
📲 Instagram: @butfirstshefailed
🌐 Website: Paolasoares.com
▶️ Follow on YouTube: Watch Here
📩 6 Ways to Know You’re Walking In Your Calling (Free Resource)
133. Why You Need To Develop This 1 Thing To Be Successful