Calm the Chaos

Calm the Chaos is a podcast which provides women in midlife resources on how they can eliminate the chaos in their life so that they can begin to focus on their goals and dreams! Deborah believes that every women in mid life deserves to find her passion and purpose in life! Host is a certified professional life coach who interviews guests weekly.

Transitioning from Work to Personal Time: A Guided Meditation for Inner Peace 04/25/2024

Transitioning from Work to Personal Time: A Guided Meditation for Inner Peace In this episode of "Calm the Chaos," we explore the importance of transitioning mindfully from work to personal time and how it contributes to our overall well-being. We discuss practical strategies for creating a sacred transition and share insights on the benefits of reflection, gratitude, and aligning with personal values during this process. This episode features a ten-minute guided meditation to help listeners unwind from the day's stresses and ease into their personal time with a sense of peace and purpose. Key Points Understanding the significance of transitioning from work to personal time for mental health and work-life balance. Exploring practical strategies for creating a peaceful transition, including reflection, gratitude, and alignment with personal values. Highlighting the benefits of mindfulness practices and guided meditation in promoting relaxation and inner peace. Providing listeners with actionable steps to incorporate mindfulness into their daily routines and enhance their transition from work to personal time. Featured Meditation: Title: Peaceful Transition Meditation Duration: 10 minutes Description: A guided meditation to help listeners unwind from the stresses of the day, release tension, and transition mindfully into their personal time. The meditation encourages reflection, gratitude, and aligning with personal values to create a sense of peace and purpose. Conclusion: As we navigate the complexities of modern life, the way we transition from work to personal time plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. By incorporating mindfulness practices and guided meditation into our daily routines, we can cultivate inner peace, reduce stress, and create a more balanced and fulfilling life. Links and Resources Let's connect for your free 60-minute 1:1 Discovery session please click on the link below! with Deborah My Free ! Read this blog post on I look forward to connecting with you! /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/30917853

Passion and Purpose Meditation 03/25/2024

Passion and Purpose Meditation In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it's easy to lose sight of our true passion and purpose. For women in midlife, this can be a particularly challenging time as we navigate transitions and reflect on where our journey has led us. If you find yourself yearning to reconnect with what truly sets your soul on fire, this guided meditation is for you. The Journey Within Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a serene garden, surrounded by vibrant blooms and the soothing sounds of nature. This garden represents the landscape of your inner world – a place where your deepest desires and aspirations reside. As you wander through this metaphorical garden, allow yourself to explore the essence of each flower. What stirs your soul? What ignites a spark of joy within you? Trusting Your Intuition During your exploration, remember that the journey is not a race. It's essential to take your time and trust your intuition and guidance. Allow yourself the space to delve deep into your innermost desires and dreams. Embrace the process of self-discovery with patience and compassion, knowing that each step you take brings you closer to your authentic self. Cultivating Clarity and Purpose As you connect with the flowers that resonate most deeply with your soul, envision yourself fully embracing your passion and purpose. Feel the excitement and fulfillment that comes from living in alignment with your true self. Know that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and create the life you desire. Closing Thoughts As you emerge from this guided meditation, carry with you a sense of empowerment and inspiration. Trust in the journey ahead, knowing that your passion and purpose are always within reach. Remember, you are a radiant being with infinite potential. Embrace the beauty of your uniqueness and allow it to shine brightly in the world. Take a moment to honor yourself for embarking on this journey of self-discovery. Know that by nurturing your passions and embracing your purpose, you are not only enriching your own life but also inspiring those around you to do the same. In the gentle whispers of the wind and the fragrant blooms of the garden, may you find solace, clarity, and the courage to pursue your dreams with unwavering determination. Embrace your passion. Embody your purpose. The journey begins within. If you are interested in connecting for your free 60-minute 1:1 Discovery session please click on the link below! with Deborah My Free ! I look forward to connecting with you! /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/30513373

Ep.135 Edwige Gilbert, Tranformational Coach and Author. Make a Fresh Start! 01/23/2023

Ep.135 Edwige Gilbert, Tranformational Coach and Author. Make a Fresh Start! Edwige Gilbert is a transformational Guide and Founder of New Life Directions. She helps others to reinvent their lives and creates fresh starts driven by a purposeful vision. As an international speaker and author of "The Fresh Start Promise" and" Victim to Victorious", Edwige turns stress into success by clearing unwanted habits and behaviors, creating self-confidence and exuberant enjoyment of life, or as she calls it in French, "Joie de Vivre" Growing up in Cannes, France Edwige grew up being raised by her grandmother who was preoccupied with her well-being and stopped her by not allowing her to take chances. She interpreted that as being incapable and having a low level of confidence. Later, she joined her parents in New York City. In addition to this message and the stress of moving, she turned to emotional eating. As a result, she gained 30 lbs so during this time she moved to work on her internal journey. Through her exploration, she acquired many certifications including life coach and hypnotherapist. During this time, she lost weight. It was a result of finding a safe place within herself. Edwige walks us through what she has learned including her stress exercises which can be done driving or in a meeting. This exercise gives you the space to be neutral instead of going into a reactionary state We discuss both of her books: Transform Stress into Success and Victim to Victorious! We start by coming from a place of awareness. What do I think? What is my awareness? How am I talking to myself? Besides positive affirmations to ourselves, Edwige stresses the importance of using positive imagery as well when tackling your goal. It's time to shift from hurt to heart, should choose, can to can, and have to desire! You can then feel the softness of the words and the emotions it creates. At the end of the day, count your victory instead of your defeat! Our journey starts with self-awareness! Where am I? How do I feel? What's going on in my life? Take the time for self-reflection without judgment. Links and Resources Connect with Watch and try the Connect with Take The Midlife Need a new resume? Connect with me for your Resume Audit Leave the work to me! Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/25539060

Ep.134 Priscilla Long, Author, Dancing with the Muse in Old Age 01/09/2023

Ep.134 Priscilla Long, Author, Dancing with the Muse in Old Age Priscilla Long is a Seattle Based writer, poet, and longtime independent teacher of writing. She is the author of seven books to date and numerous publications in literary journals. She grew up on a dairy farm on the eastern shores of Maryland attending Moravian Seminary for Girls and Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She writes science, poetry, history, creative nonfiction, essays, and fiction. Priscilla lives in the Seattle area and serves as the founding and consulting editor of Historylink.org which is a free online encyclopedia for Washington State History Today we are discussing her book: Dancing with The Muse in Old Age. What you’ll learn in our conversation Priscilla wrote this book not only for herself but for everyone over the age of forty! Shy of turning 80, she wanted to approach this new era proactively with information and knowledge of science. Priscilla wanted to draw from people who were thriving, creating, and connecting in their communities. In writing this book, Priscilla learned a lot about the science of aging gracefully which involved cognitive development v ( which works the same in children as in older individuals ) and movement. As a result, she now bonds with her fit bit and makes sure to get regular exercise. Throughout the book, there are many people cited who are in the 70,80, 90’s who are continuing to put to use their creativity and/or learning something new in the arts! Helping with cognitive creative development. Priscilla gives us several inspiring examples from the book of some famous and not-so-famous people who are active, learning, and creative! You can also express your creativity in different ways by gardening, cooking, social justice, and community involvement. The models that Priscilla shares in the book are inspiring and follow their dreams right up to the end of their life. Even when they run into limitations they continue to find a way to contribute in the best way possible. We discussed Angela Glendening who didn’t feel that she had any “creativity” in her body but knew she was good at supporting the underdog. She picked a mission to support and that became her passion and purpose. A great story! When you do choose what to do, there will be a community around it and you will make connections and start meeting like-minded people. This will help your overall health and wisdom. Is it possible to be more proactive in composing one’s life towards flourishing? Links and Resources Connect with Connect with Take The Midlife Need a new resume? Connect with me for your Resume Audit Leave the work to me! Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/25377000

Ep.133 Kamini Wood, Coach, Authentic ME 12/19/2022

Ep.133 Kamini Wood, Coach, Authentic ME Kamini Wood is a certified professional coach who helps people take the courageous steps to identify their limiting beliefs, the reasons for their stagnation, or feelings of not-enoughness, so they can have what they want professionally and personally to live a fulfilled life. She is the creator of AuthenticMe® and CEO of Live Joy Your Way, a coaching company helping individuals shake free of their fears, unhelpful mindsets and behaviors in order to have healthy relationships and move forward on the professional path they choose. Kamini herself has gone from a people-pleasing, perfectionist, holding herself back by playing small into someone who recognizes her worth and sees that by embracing it she can create room for others to do the same. She is a best-selling author, and holds specialty certifications in various modalities including life, wellness, teen life, conscious uncoupling, calling in the one, new money story, breathwork, meditation and diversity, equity inclusion and belonging. She is also trained in conscious parenting and coaching for children. Here is what you will learn from my conversation with Kamini Kamini went through her own self-transformation. She realized that she could take her personal experiences with her business acumen and service people from a coaching perspective. With formal training, she is now servicing her clients and living her true authentic life! The importance of relational self-awareness The Concept of self-compassion and self-forgiveness We don’t need to be carbon copies of one another! We can come into our true selves and then beautiful things will start to happen! How to deal with imposter syndrome which we all face from time to time! We have the ability to control our narrative and challenge our beliefs about ourselves. Resources and Links Connect with Connect with Take The Midlife Need a new resume? Connect with me for your Resume Audit Leave the work to me! Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24920916

Ep.132 Alice Inoue, Happiness U 12/05/2022

Ep.132 Alice Inoue, Happiness U Alice Inoue is an award-winning author and life expert who has dedicated her life to helping others find answers to life challenges. Alice has created a great number of books on self-love and happiness and allowed herself to grow more through her long-running column in Hawaii’s largest publication, Midweek. Alice’s multiple exposure living in places such as San Francisco, Taiwan, Japan, and now Hawaii definitely led her to this wonderful path in guiding others through their journey of life and now has established Happiness U – a business with a heartwarming purpose for organizations and individuals who are seeking unprecedented clarity. Her capability of translating languages in English, Chinese and Japanese do not only resonate in linguistics itself. It potentially connects one energy to another being and allows us to answer our purpose in the progress of self-transformation, may it be personal or professional. This episode will surely allow our growth to cross-pollinate with other aspects in life — starting a business, building a relationship with other people, touching base with our clients or even just loving ourselves. Let’s take a look at what Alice shared on this episode! Her journey from living an unhappy life to finding happiness Finding aspects such as strengths and purpose in people’s lives that they didn’t know they had Establishing the curriculum of Happiness U by defining ‘purpose’ and ‘happiness’ that originally didn’t exist in the life of Alice Acknowledging the challenges that one faces but still learning one’s purpose and serving values that are beneficial towards our growth Series of questions that Alice asks to clarify one’s purpose: Where do you nurture others in your life on a daily basis? Where do you provide structured discipline? Where are you a connector, an ambassador, a cross-pollinator? Where do you connect people to people, places, and services? Where are you a catalyst for change in others? While we fuel ourselves up in finding our purpose with endless opportunities, we also have the ability to make these with the greatest love, heartfelt love, and powerful principles of life. Alice challenges us to consistently use one minute of our morning. Sit, close our eyes, take three deep breaths and ask ourselves: what do we need today? As we ask ourselves this question, answers in finding ourselves will follow through with enough desire and attention – indeed Happiness. How about U? Find out more about how Happiness U leaves an indelible mark in the lives of people by having numerous training, classes, sessions, and programs. May it be mastering many facets of change, increasing energy for greater productivity, using the power of body language, or thriving during shifting times, allowing Happiness U to become part of your life. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Connect with Grab Alice’s Destination to Happiness Alice’s Special gift to listeners Attend classes in Connect with Take the Midlife Need a new resume? Connect with me for your Resume Audit Leave the work to me! Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24847362

Ep.131 Cassie Christopher Workshop, How to Set Intentions for the Holidays and into 2023 11/21/2022

Ep.130 Meghan Griech, Doctor of Physical Therapy, How to Move without Pain 11/07/2022

Ep.130 Meghan Griech, Doctor of Physical Therapy, How to Move without Pain Meghan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with over 19 years of experience treating patients with a multitude of diagnoses, injuries, surgeries, and medical complications to help them achieve their optimal mobility and functional ability. She’s worked with all sorts of people - whether it be kids with a sprained ankle, or their moms with lingering post partum pains. Meghan also likes to think of herself as one of her patients. She acknowledges that everyone has flare ups and pains once in a while, but the long term solution to that is not giving your body more rest, rather engaging it in more movements. Of course, almost everyone has busy lives, but Meghan encourages making little adjustments in your life to combat your joint and pain issues - like multitasking when you’re on a walk, or fixing your computer alignment while you're sitting at your desk, or carving out just an hour in the day for active movement. Meghan is extremely passionate about moving the body and working the muscles. With that, she’s found another passion: Yoga. She managed to find the right community and instructor that made her feel empowered, push her limits, and also quiet her to-do lost brain. Now, she is on a mission to teach people about their joint pain so they can live the active, pain-free life they want. Meghan has developed How to Move Without Pain to reach more people who want to live, work, and be active without joint pain and strain holding them back. She’s even in the process of developing a program - Bone Boost - to help people with osteoporosis engage in the right types of movement and work all parts of their body! What we discussed: As we age, it’s important to be consistent with movements instead of just doing them abruptly for a couple of months and then stopping. As our muscles, fibers, and overall flexibility changes, Our bodies need to get used to the movement, it has to feel lived in, instead of just a binge of movement. General movements like walking, stretching, or swimming is key to loosening up the tightness in your body and soothing those irritated muscles. The difference between hurt and harm - what are the short-term and long-term pains and irritations? What is the pain threshold like for each of them, and what can we do to identify and curb these sorts of issues? It may be counterintuitive, but the way to get your body to get over soreness and pain is not to sit down and rest more, but to move! Osteoporosis is something that you cannot feel, and you aren’t aware of when it’s happening. So, it’s important to ask yourself: What’s my balance like? How strong am I?. Although you may not be able to identify your degrading bones, you can control the types of movements you do and make adjustments to your lifestyle to counteract those issues. Strength training coupled with mobility exercises are key to controlling osteoporosis. Meghan is developing a program for people to follow, which incorporates a diverse basket of exercises for controlling osteoporosis! Using your muscles will work wonders for you! Staying still is detrimental. We talked about her online community. Meghan publishes an informative article every week about things that her patients normally ask her, like “what’s a rotator cuff?”. She aims to make it informative, but also relatable! She also publishes an email newsletter on Tuesdays and Fridays. Meghan’s Timed Loaded Standing Test measures the time a person can stand while holding their arms straight out in front of them, holding 2lb dumbbells. Set Timer for 30 seconds! How many can you do? How to do the test: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart while holding 2lb weights Hold weights out in front of you, elbows straight with thumbs up and hands at shoulder height. As soon as the arms are out straight, the timer starts. When the weights can no longer be held out, the timer stops. This test is a great way to know your back and upper body strength and endurance. This test can be very helpful as a starting place and then work to increase the time, especially in the years when osteoporosis is a concern. Meghan’s community is growing day by day, with more and more people getting empowered to be consistent with moving their bodies! Links and Resources: Connect with Follow Meghan Griech on Connect with Take The Midlife Need a new resume? Connect with me for your Resume Audit Leave the work to me! Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24844641

Ep. 129 Ann Richardson Author, Blogger, Reflections on Growing Older 10/17/2022

Ep. 129 Ann Richardson Author, Blogger, Reflections on Growing Older Ann Richardson is a writer who believes that life is full of serendipity, which makes it more fun. Ann Richardson’s recent book, The Granny who Stands on Her Head, comprises a series of reflections on growing older but also includes some stories from her life. She has written numerous other books, including one about the people who provide hospice care and one about being a grandmother. Ann was born in Washington, D.C., USA, grew up in New York City and has lived with her husband in London, England since 1968. Ann and her husband have two grown-up children and two grandsons. When she needed to find part-time work when her first child was a baby, Ann discovered a love of qualitative social research. Although she has loved writing ever since childhood, she never thought of trying to become a writer when she was young, because she felt she did not have enough to say. She also needed to support her husband, while he was doing a PhD. Much later, she gained a PhD herself. Her career in research involved interviews and focus groups with a wide spectrum of situations and people, including people with learning difficulties and carers for the elderly but also many others. She wrote numerous books and articles from her research and was always recognized as a good writer. Since retiring, she has chosen to write books on new topics as set out below. This episode is definitely one for the books, especially for those people in the latter years of their lives, beginning to reflect both on their current lives and the coming of the end of life. Ann likes to think about the what-ifs in life. Ann shared these amazing points in this episode! The story behind the three books she created before The Granny who Stands on Her Head Wise Before Their Time: Ann became close friends with a man with AIDS who was organizing a conference of people with AIDS; she carried out interviews there and put these together into this book. Life in a Hospice: Ann worked in a hospice as a volunteer and realized how strange it was to look after people who were dying. She carried out a series of interviews with people working in hospice care about the nature of their work and its impact on their lives. Celebrating Grandmothers: After she became a grandmother herself, Ann thought it was so interesting that she decided to undertake a series of interviews with grandmothers about the positive and negative aspects of their lives. Ann was asked to write a series of blogs about grandmothers and other matters for an online women’s magazine. While doing these, she started her journey in writing The Granny who Stands on Her Head. This is about the nature of being old: LINKS AND RESOURCES: Connect with Richardson Buy Ann’s The Granny who Stands on Her Head Connect with Take the Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24696609

Ep.128 Dami Roelse, Life Coach, Writer and Walking Women 50 Plus 10/03/2022

Ep.128 Dami Roelse, Life Coach, Writer and Walking Women 50 Plus Dami Roelse is a certified life coach, writer, and retired mental health provider. Born in Holland, Dami has traveled the world extensively, lived on different continents, and has learned to use her travel as inspiration for living. As she entered the 3rd phase of life Dami lost her life partner. She went for a long walk in the Himalayas to escape the reality of life without her life partner. This trek in a desolate wilderness at a high altitude gave her back her sense of belonging. You can read about Dami’s spiritual quest and trek in the Himalayas in her book: “Fly Free, a memoir of love, loss, and walking the path”. Since then Dami uses long-distance hiking and backpacking as a means to deepen her connection with nature and the universe. Her book, "Walking Gone Wild, How to lose your age on the trail”, explores and explains walking, hiking, and backpacking as a means of re-invigorating life for women as they age. Interlaced with stories of real women who have built confidence through walking, it presents a new model of aging with vitality, grace, and a deepened connection to life. Aside from trekking in the Himalayas and Morocco, walking and hiking in Europe, Dami has hiked more than 2500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in the last 9 years. Dami writes about the benefits of walking, hiking, and backpacking for women50plus. Dami shares the following Dami didn’t start walking serious distances until the age of 65! For her 65th birthday, Dami decided to “do something big” like walk a length of the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon which is the state she lived in at the time. This summer 2022, Dami finished the last piece of the Pacific Crest Trail, 2,650 miles! The entire journey took ten years and in the last stretch this summer she completed 180 miles at 75 years young! At the beginning of her journey, Dami had lost her husband and felt a bit disoriented and was wondering “who am I” and “what am I doing with my life”. She was close to retirement. The trail gave her time to think and it was out on the trail that she discovered who she was. She felt connected when she was out in nature. For Dami, she found her place amongst the old-growth trees. Dami says that her purpose is not to hike long distances but to really know herself and increase her awareness. It’s also to share the possibility of how to do that with other people, especially women. She enjoys coaching women on their “third phase of life”. Through posting her travels within her Facebook group and website Dami has been an inspiration for women of all ages to do the same! When we get older we get set in our ways and it often becomes difficult to get out of our comfort zone and try new things. Dami encourages us to go where we fear to live. She shares how she was afraid of the desert and how a walk helped her to conquer that fear. Break what you are fearful of and try it in smaller bite-size pieces to get a sense of what to expect and build your self-confidence! Dami’s book, Walking Gone Wild, shared stories about women who started walking and what it did for them in their journey. She shares their stories and their “why” for walking. Walking Women Fifty Plus Facebook group has over 3000 followers who are sharing their stories and offering encouragement and tips! Dami shares some of her favorite hikes and the advantages of using walking poles. We leave you with a great challenge! Tune in for details. Links and Resources Connect with Connect with Facebook Group Dami’s Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24327837

Ep.127 Tracy McCubbin, dClutteryfly and Author of Make Space for Happiness 09/19/2022

Ep.127 Tracy McCubbin, dClutteryfly and Author of Make Space for Happiness Tracy McCubbin is the author of Making Space, Clutter Free: The Last Book On Decluttering You'll Ever Need (June 4th, 2019). She has always referred to herself as "Obsessive Compulsive Delightful," but who knew she could turn that trait into a booming business? While working for a major television director in Los Angeles, Tracy discovered she had the ability to see through any mess and clearly envision a clutter-free space. Coupled with keen time-management and organizational skills, Tracy soon found more and more people were asking her for help. Before she knew it, dClutterfly was born. Ten years and thousands of clients later, dClutterfly is Los Angeles' premier organizing and decluttering company. Tracy is a regularly featured expert on Hallmark's Home & Family, has a column on MindBodyGreen, and has regular declutter segments on Fox 5 and ABC Eyewitness News, KTLA Morning Show, KCAL9, and Good Day Sacramento. She and her company have also been featured in Real Simple, Women's Day, and ShopSmart. When not decluttering, she is the proud Co-Executive Director of OneKid OneWorld, a non-profit building strong educational foundations for children in impoverished communities throughout Kenya and Central America. She lives in Los Angeles and knows where her keys are. In my discussion with Tracy, we discuss the following Tracy didn’t start dClutterfly until she was in her forties! It’s never too late to discover your passion! The Book, Making Space, Clutter Free: The Last Decluttering book you’ll ever need focuses on the seven emotional clutter blocks and why we feel stuck with our stuff! Tracy shares ways to break free from these emotional clutter blocks! After her first book, Tracy noticed that even after getting a space organized people were still bringing in “stuff” to their spaces. There is this hole that is inside of us, something missing that we are needing to fill and unfortunately for most, we fill with things. She then wrote the book, Make Space for Happiness which focuses on our clutter magnets! The shopping and the stuff are not making us happier. How can we make space for happiness? We discuss that first step! Tracy shares the first steps in working with a client in organizing and decluttering their space! Words of wisdom that you too can incorporate when you are taking those first steps! Decluttering is an emotional process and Tracy shares how to move past the emotion so you can feel the lift of having a clutter-free space. For items you have been gifted from a relative it’s important to realize that someone else’s history is not your history. Do you use it? Love it? If not then it’s time to pass it on to someone who will use and appreciate it! We discuss inspirational stories to get you motivated to tackle your space! Tracy shares her Senior Downsizing checklist and shares some of her top tips! Are you ready for Tracy’s challenge? Give a listen! Resources and Links Connect with n Purchase Tracy’s Books Grab the Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24336750

Ep.126 Kurt Liechty, METAFIT GYM, Personal Trainer 09/05/2022

Ep.126 Kurt Liechty, METAFIT GYM, Personal Trainer Kurt Leichty is an Air Force combat veteran and former Police Officer. He has taken his training and experience from both of those worlds to create a fitness program for military members, cops, and firefighters. His certification is from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is specifically designed for him to focus on these special populations of tactical athletes. He uses the same training for our heroes that he does for the public. This year, or early in 2023, Kurt will be opening a non-profit gym called MetaFit where the public can come train side by side with the heroes and learn to train like the heroes. I personally work with Kurt and he was able to help me build my confidence in the gym to lift free weights and tackle those intimidating machines! Kurt is the real deal and works with clients both in person and virtually. If you are on the fence about strength training, I encourage you to reach out to Kurt for support and motivation! I have definitely noticed a difference in my overall strength when in the garden, swimming, or riding my bike! Here is what Kurt has to share in this episode! It’s important to lift heavy and be consistent to get results Women lifting heavy is the most efficient way to lose weight, burn more calories, and tone your body! Lifting heavy can help with muscle strength and bone density. As we age, this is a big concern because if we were to fall later in life we need bone density to heal! Building muscle will cushion your bones so if you do fall, your bones are better protected from a potential break. Kurt shares his journey and what inspired him to begin working with people and how he feels he is promoting goodness in the world. When people focus on fitness and health then they are more positive, happier, and feel that they can accomplish more and go after their dreams! Kurt shares that in your strength training journey, by month two you will start to feel the difference in your strength, by month three you will see the difference in your body, and by month four, people will start noticing that something is different about you! Why it’s important to lift every day and how to rotate your strength training to accomplish this goal. Why it’s important for Kurt to have a nonprofit organization where the general public, police officers, and military members can work out together. How to spice up your lifting program so it doesn’t become dull How you can get your feet wet with your own routine by following Kurt on Instagram where he encourages and shares exercises for you to try! All Kurt’s links are in the show notes. Why it’s important to overestimate the amount of support you will need to accomplish your fitness goal and rally those around you to help, including your personal trainer. Any of the money you pay for personal training with Kurt goes back into the programs and the building for the community in Utah. Resources and Links Follow on Instagram Check out Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/24122538

Ep.125 Tania Vasallo, The Courage to Be Happy 08/22/2022

Ep.124 Mike and Kim Barnes, Parenting Aging Parents 08/08/2022

Ep.124 Mike and Kim Barnes, Parenting Aging Parents Over the past five years, Mike and Kim Barnes found themselves navigating problems they never saw coming from their parents: Alzheimer's, pacemakers, COVID pneumonia, and the tough decision to move parents into retirement communities. They've learned to balance the many facets of parenting aging parents, including medical, financial, and everyday-life decisions, emotional rollercoasters, protecting their parents from scams, and more, all while parenting their college-age kids, and building their careers. Mike & Kim each spent 30 years on TV. Kim's TV career includes 15 years as an award-winning reporter and news anchor and Mike's includes 29 years as an award-winning sportscaster. They've realized that so many adult children go through the same trials with their parents, yet hardly anyone talks about it. Most struggle in silence. That's why they created a community to provide information, resources, and support. We are all aging gracefully including our parents! Now is the perfect time to get ahead of the game and start having conversations with our parents and children about not only the legal aspects of our estate but all the other pieces of our lives that we need to know in order to transition to being an advocate for our parents! This information doesn’t need to be a mystery! If everything is summarized in one spot then it will make the journey smoother for everyone! Mike and Kim have created a community, Parenting Aging Parents where you can access information, resources, and a Facebook community so you are never alone. Here is what we explore in this episode! Mike and Kim share their journey as they navigate these waters with their parents! You don’t know what you don’t know! How to balance Kids, careers, and aging parents Navigating these waters with their parents has ensured that they have their “ducks in a row” for their children. We can be better prepared for our children! What are those practical questions everyone 40+ needs to ask their aging parents? Make sure you are on the same page with your siblings about expectations for your parents' well-being. This can solve a lot of miscommunication and hurt feelings going down the road. Besides the financial aspects do you know the passwords for the computer and bill paying sites? If you had to step in on a moment’s notice, would you be able to pay their bills for them? How to protect your parents from internet scams! How to communicate to your parents how you are trying to help and give them a gift in helping. How Mike and Kim are working towards making this community to the workplace. As employees with aging parents, it’s important to be informed and be prepared so employees are not worried about “what if”. It makes for a more productive employee! Can you introduce Mike and Kim to your organization? Where is the best place to go if you are wanting more information on helping your parents? Go to their website: from there you can access the interviews, resources, and their handbook: The Caregiver’s Key This information will help you to deal with the crisis at hand with your loved one and you won’t be needing to scramble with all the other details of their lives as you’ll have their booklet. Resources and Links Connect with Grab Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/23261816

Ep.123 Deb Johnstone, Women Reinventing Midlife Summit 07/18/2022

Ep.122 Emee Estacio, How to Tackle Imposter Syndrome and Self Doubt 07/04/2022

Ep.122 Emee Estacio, How to Tackle Imposter Syndrome and Self Doubt Emee Estacio is the Founder of The PAME Code. She is a chartered psychologist with over 20 years of experience in health, community, and positive psychology. Her passion is to help people embrace their true worth, so they can live happy and fulfilling lives. Throughout her academic, coaching, and research career, she has worked closely with individuals and communities to unlock their full potential using simple and easy to apply methods for limitless success in life. She is the #1 best-selling author of the "Psychology in Your Life" book series, including titles such as "The Imposter Syndrome Remedy", "Change Your Life for Good", and "Fear is Not My Enemy". She is also now helping aspiring authors fulfill their lifelong ambition to write and publish their own books with her flagship course, "Self-Publishing Made Simple". Emee shares with us the following How she made a major career pivot after the arrival of her son! How that decision was in alignment with what she wanted to prioritize for not only herself but her child. Great words of wisdom for anyone at a crossroads in life! How she started to question her identity and went into a crisis where she was in a cyclone of feeling down, lethargic, and stuck in a cyclone of imposter syndrome and her own identity crisis. Emme shares how with the support of people around her she was able to get the help she needed and shares how you can too! How one friend reached out during this period of time threw her a lifeline and helped to get Emme the appropriate help. It’s OK to accept help when you need it! How important it is to make a conscious decision and set the intention that you are going to take the steps to move forward. It’s not only important for ourselves but to be a role model to our children that it’s ok to stop and take time for self-care It is normal to experience self-doubt when you are trying something new! Emee’s Tips for Dealing with Imposter Syndrome! Ask yourself the following questions: Is that true? Is it logical? Is it constructive? Do you have any evidence to support what you are thinking about yourself? Emee gives a lot of great examples with some specific thoughts one may have while experiencing imposter syndrome! Emee shares her business, Self Publishing Made Simple! She combines her expertise in psychology and self-publishing to help entrepreneurs to write and self-publish their stories! She has created a community for coaching, community, and support. The doors will be opening in the first part of July for her group program and you can connect with Emee in the show notes below! Links and Resources Connect with Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/23253200

Ep.121 Linda Ward, Crazy Simple Steps to Feeling Happier 06/20/2022

Ep.120 Jean Atman, Consciousness Coach and Quantum Healer 06/06/2022

Ep.119 Cassie Christopher, Emotional Eating Expert 05/23/2022

Ep.119 Cassie Christopher, Emotional Eating Expert Cassie Christopher is a Registered Dietitian, Emotional Eating Expert, and owner of Cassie Christopher Health Coaching. She has a Master's degree in Nutrition and specializes in helping women in midlife and beyond find the Courage to Trust themselves around food. She helps women stop the cycle of all-or-nothing dieting that leads to numbing emotions with food so they can develop a supportive relationship with food, their body, and their health, so they can eat with joy instead of eating to seek joy. Cassie shares why an “all or nothing” dieting causes women to struggle and that compassion for ourselves is the answer! She has definitely turned her pain and life experiences toward helping others and has created a program to support her community! In my conversation with Cassie, we explore the following Food is not the problem ( and neither are you ) It’s time to start listening to your body. It will provide you the clues so you can make choices that support you instead of numbing out and restricting your foods! How to learn to have courage and trust surrounding food. How to “debrief” after a situation where we have lost control or sense of “will power”. What you can do instead of stress eating and how to calm your cravings! How to jump off the dopamine wagon with certain foods! The Four Pillars of the Courage and Trust Method Calming the Nervous System Self Compassion Listening to Ourselves Cassie shares her free resource: You’re Done with Dieting but still want to heal emotional eating” with the Calm the Chaos community! The link to this resource is in the show notes! Resources and Links Connect with Debbie photo: "You're Done Dieting but Still Want to Heal Emotional Eating": Courage to Trust Method: Book a free Compassionate Clarity Call with me: Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22891259

Ep.118 Sheree Clark, Midlife Career Coach 05/09/2022

Ep.118 Sheree Clark, Midlife Career Coach My guest this week is Sheree Clark, a Midlife Courage Coach who calls her practice Fork in the Road. Sheree says she became a courage coach because she believes “it takes guts to live the second half of your life for you when you’ve lived the first half for everyone else.” Sheree has written and presented on topics ranging from managing regrets and finding your passion to overcoming career burnout. A serial entrepreneur, Sheree owned a successful advertising agency for over 25 years before pivoting to become a life coach when she was in her 50s. But Sheree didn’t abandon the creativity of the advertising world when she started her coaching practice. She’s well-known for her fun talks and presentations as well as the unique exercises she’s developed to help clients in achieving their goals. In her personal time, Sheree enjoys spending time in her art deco home which has been featured in a variety of publications. Sheree and her Maine Coon cat Lotus also work on their yoga poses. Here are some things that Sheree shares with the listeners! If you want something different for yourself you can absolutely have it! No matter what anyone else says, including the voice in your head! Unhappiness or unmet potential is one area of your life that steals the joy from other areas of your life. One thing you need to have in to be able to make changes or shifts in what you really want is courage. Courage can be created, renewed, and even borrowed. At any given moment we are all at a Fork in the Road. Sometimes it's a big decision or smaller choices that are just as important. It takes guts to live the second have of your life! Especially when you’ve lived the first half for everyone else. Trust the messages you get. They come through to you at any time. Tune in and be present to yourself. Links and Resources Connect with Link to Sheree Clark Summit: Why Midlife is a Time for Action! Link Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22816586

Ep.117 Daniela Sulek, Shift into the higher consciousness of YOUR TRUE SELF 05/02/2022

Ep.116 Julie Morgenstern, SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life 04/25/2022

Ep.115 Epic Self Project Interview with Dr. Melissa Bordogna 04/18/2022

Ep.115 Epic Self Project Interview with Dr. Melissa Bordogna I recently had the opportunity to join Dr. Melissa Bordogna in her weekend event the Epic Self Project for Midlife! This was a wonderful opportunity to connect with those that were looking for inspiration in a variety of topics from experts in their field. With my expertise being in career and life coaching, I guided the participants into the importance of identifying your theme when moving into your next chapter! We had a great discussion and wanted to give you the opportunity to hear it on the podcast! For this discussion, I created a worksheet that you can access on my website: . Go to the Work with Me tab and click on the workbook. You will see it offered mid-page! Here are some of the reasons you will want to tune in this week for our discussion! How creating an overarching theme for your next chapter is so important and how it will help you to stay focused on your “end goal” for your life! I share my Theme for this next chapter and give examples on how I hold myself accountable towards that theme and how you can too! What is the first step in this process? What stories have we been telling ourselves what type of excuses have we been giving ourselves in moving forward? The tool for unlocking your inner desires Ideas on how you can hold yourself accountable towards your vision and theme How to step into the action and the doing! How to show more compassion towards yourself in this process. I hope you will take the time to download your worksheet and complete it for yourself! If you begin working on the worksheet and feel that you need to be gently challenged to move forward, please reach out to me. I would love to be able to help you start this journey! Resources and Links Connect with Identifying Your Theme for Your Next Chapter Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Grab Your Free today! /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22578923

Ep.114 Diana Raab, Writing for Bliss, Healing and Transformation 04/11/2022

Ep.113 Stephanie Raffelock, Unlocking the Power of Midlife! 04/04/2022

Ep.113 Stephanie Raffelock, Unlocking the Power of Midlife! Stephanie Raffelock is the author of Creatrix Rising, Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women. She also penned the award-winning book, A Delightful Little Book of Aging A graduate of Naropa University’s program in writing and poetics, Stephanie was a contributor to the Rogue Valley Messenger in Oregon. She has blogged for Nexus Magazine, Omaha Lifestyles, Care2.com, as well as SixtyandMe.com A recent transplant to Austin, Texas Stephanie enjoys an active life with her husband, Dean, and their Labrador retriever Mickey Mantle Raffelock. For Stephanie, writing is an encore career! Stephanie is passionate about her work and sees midlife as a bridge from one part of your life to another. What we have seen in society over the years is the message that when you hit midlife, you’re done! Stephanie is here to say that this messaging is not true! Not only are women finding their voices, but they are also raising them! This has become her work, to write about women and aging. How we see ourselves as we age and how we get stuck in the stereotypes of aging and how to break free from those stories! We begin by discussing her book, Creatrix Rising! Creatrix comes from the three Greek fates. There was the spinner, the weaver, and the cutter. The weaver was the creatrix. The word means a woman who makes things. Stephanie felt that was a great word for what happens to us in midlife as we move out of the motherhood phase ( whether or not we’ve had children) We can then move into a phase of creativity. We become women who make things, whether that’s leadership, gardening, or cooking. Creatrix is a positive archetype that gives power and empowerment to women at midlife. Stephanie shares one-story in her book about a woman named Austin. Austin lived life to the fullest until the very end. She knew what it was to be a woman who makes things and never stopped. She goes on to share that women need to reassure themselves in life that they grow psychologically and spiritually until the day they die. There is no endpoint! We just need to change the way we talk to ourselves and how we perceive ourselves moving forward. Our discussion continues to focus on the importance of staying curious and having gratitude in our life. Stephanie feels that you grow old the day you stop feeling impassioned by the things you love and what you stand for in life. We discuss a lot about how important mindset is moving forward into this next chapter and how we need to treat ourselves kindly and be careful on how we speak to ourselves! Perhaps look in the mirror each day and tell yourself, “hello gorgeous! You got this! “. What a beautiful way to start the morning! Resources and Links Connect with Blog Article: Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Book Your Spot for the Free 60 minute Clarity Session /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22432085

Ep.112 Deborah Voll - Zestful Aging 03/28/2022

Ep.111 Daniel Mangena. Living a Life of Abundance 03/21/2022

Ep.111 Daniel Mangena. Living a Life of Abundance Daniel Mangena is an International Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Broadcaster, and Coach. He is best known for his highly successful Micro2Millions program, being the author of Stepping Beyond Intention and his Do it With Dan and Beyond Success podcasts. He is completely self-made and has spent decades perfecting his world-class coaching methodology. His mission statement: “To spearhead an evolutionary uplift in universal consciousness, by awakening people to the importance of their unique role and enabling them to manifest their dream life.” Daniel has learned his lesson’s later in life through losing his fortunes not once but twice. What he learned through this process is the importance of your energetic relationship with something and the importance of developing that relationship with something to allow it to stay. He focuses now on conscious deliberate creating. We discuss how to break free of emotional blocks to get that desired dream life that so many of us are seeking! Daniel shares that our desires within ourselves are ready to be birthed and most of the time, we are not allowing it to be part of our world. Daniel reminds us that everything we experience is a result of where we are in our environment. The actions we are taking, the habits, behaviors, and choices we make, and the people, places, and things that surround ourselves. We go on to discuss the conflict between our conscious and unconscious thoughts and how 97% of our behaviors are run by unconscious programs. For the most part, the actions we take are not conscious choices. That’s why for many, we are misaligned with our thoughts and outcomes. You may be ready to go out and achieve something new but most often our habits and behaviors are not matching the desired outcome. The reason why is that our unconscious thoughts don’t match the desired outcome. One way to get into alignment with our unconscious thoughts is to create an environment that supports us in getting in alignment with our thoughts and desires. Our thoughts, fears, and desires are built from our environment from our journey from infant to today! We need to understand that our environment can support us and if we curated it appropriately then the change will come easier and have the desired snowball effect. Begin to ask yourself: What do we want to manifest or create for ourselves and then how does my environment right now support the emotional state and outcome that I want to achieve? Ask yourself: Are your existing habits and emotions supporting my emotional desire or are these habits and emotions disrupting those desires and allowing me to step into something different. Changing your emotional state will change the quality of your thoughts! We continue to discuss more opportunities to get in alignment with your unconscious and conscious thoughts and emotions by looking at how our environment and habits can support us I ask Daniel about a blog article he wrote about Rejecting the Cookie-Cutter Approach to a Life of Intention. He encourages us to seize the day uniquely our own and not get lost in waiting for some big magical moment to show up for us! Instead, listen to the small whispers that lead you to your big vision. Play in those seemingly insignificant synchronicities that lead you to the outcome that you desire! Daniel’s Challenge for you! Ask Yourself How will you feel, what emotions will you experience when you have achieved your goal? Write down those emotions! Does my environment support those emotions? You may need to start to clean up your environment or start to create an environment that supports you in having the goal that you desire! Resources and Links Connect with Special for Calm the Chaos Listeners Do It With Dan Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Book Your Spot for the Free 60 minute Clarity Session /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22266746

Ep.110 Tareq Azim, EMPOWER 03/14/2022

Ep.110 Tareq Azim, EMPOWER A descendant of Afghan nobles, Tareq Azim’s family was forced to flee their homeland in 1979. He assimilated in the United States through his love of sports, excelling in wrestling, boxing, and football. In 2004, Azim decided to visit his home country, and upon arriving, he discovered countless children living on the streets, waiting for the inevitable recruitment into terrorist networks and anti-peace militias. Azim’s close encounter with the ravages of a war-torn society taught him how pain can generate the most intense forms of fear, anxiety, and depression. He had found his salvation through sports and physical activity, and he knew these children could, too. Growing up with the fear of not having and not belonging. Tareq was desperate to belong and asked himself, How do I belong?, how can I become a part of this American Society? For Tareq, it was the power of sport and physical activity. It was through organized sports in High School that he learned what embracing the discomfort meant and what it meant and how to challenge yourself and face your truth. It was then that Tareq recognized what was preventing the rest of his community to feel this same way of belonging. It was while playing football in high school that he experienced that feeling of acceptance from himself and others. Once Tareq’s confidence was raised through sports, he pushed himself to do other things like running for ASB President. He continued to push through to do things even when it felt out of his comfort zone and scared. He then came to the realization at age 17, what prevents the optimization of human capacity and capability is fear. Now when he feels fearful he recognizes that this is where his opportunity lies within himself. It was then that he started to hold himself accountable publicly and started using the fear of being judged by not completing his goal as fuel to pull the trigger on things that he felt were right for himself vs. falling victim to judgment. He was using it! Tareq believes that we have the freedom to define our own narratives and definitions of behaviors. He helps individuals to recognize the value of fear vs. fear being something you should avoid and allowing it to be a disease that decimates everything else in your life. We use fear as an excuse on why we don’t move forward and we see individuals running away from the responsibility of being aware of what you’re fearful of. Once you are conscious of what it is and what's preventing you from being strong, you can then embrace the fear and define what it is for you at that moment. Tareq shares with us how to conquer the fear once we recognize it and call it out. It’s when you identify it and make the decision to embrace it that you can move forward. Give it a responsibility and give it permission to do what it is there to do for you. Links and Resources Grab Your Copy of by Tareq Azim on Instagram Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Book Your Spot for the Free 60 minute Clarity Session /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22195136

Ep.109 Daniela Sulek, The Freedom to Be Who You Want to BE 03/07/2022

Ep.109 Daniela Sulek, The Freedom to Be Who You Want to BE Juggling life for years led Daniela Sulek to hit a wall. Her entire way of life and being changed when what she now calls “humaning” led to her developing serious illnesses while pregnant with her third child, and almost cost her her life. With her “play your way through life” philosophy, she now helps renowned yet unfulfilled leaders move into a permanent state of ease, joy, and passion. By transcending from the conditioned human to the consciousness of their true self, they shift into effortlessly creating by being, instead of creating by doing. My conversation with Daniela begins by her sharing her journey and how in the beginning her life and health escalated to a point where she became very ill and realized that she wanted to know the truth and things needed to change. For her she wanted Freedom. To her Freedom is to be who she wants to be whenever she wants to be! And to do whenever she wants to do! Daniela takes the pain she experienced and turned it into her passion so that others can know their true selves and let go of the human conditioning and be free! Daniela shares her motto: Learn From Everyone, Follow No One. You are unique and have a unique blueprint. There is no need to follow anyone. You learn and take what you want and discard what you don’t like. Think of life as an all-you-can-eat buffet! We discuss that fear is a product of the mind. When we live in fear, guilt, and anxiety we are living of the mind and not living in the true higher consciousness of self. In order to have a higher consciousness of self, we need to hold absolute trust in life and know that we are good and all is amazing. That everything is happening for me We then go on to discuss how to let go of the “doing” and “going” so that we can step back and “be”. How do we surrender to that in our life? It’s really a shift in consciousness. A shift in your thought and emotional patterns in your state of being. Our discussion journeys on to discussing how to be present and with others and show up with no expectations or bringing any of the past “humaning” into the moment and how that will have a powerful impact on your relationships. Daniela encourages us to be and not get hung up in expectations on how things need to turn out or what needs to get done. Just be open to having what needs to transpire at that moment. Daniela challenges us to do this with the next person we encounter: Don’t look at them as to how they should be but just be with them. Look at them as to how they are. Let go of what you need from them or how they should behave. Be with them as they are and be you as you are and see the change. Links and Resources Connect with Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Book Your Spot for the Free 60 minute Clarity Session /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22117352

Ep.108 Jackie Parsons, Hedonistic Hiking Tours 02/28/2022

Ep.108 Jackie Parsons, Hedonistic Hiking Tours Jackie Parsons was born and raised in England. SheI studied languages from an early age and developed a passion for Latin cultures. She speaks French, Spanish, and fluent Italian. Jackie has led tours in Europe since 1992, specializing in walking tours in Italy since 2007 Her first degree in Spanish took her to the mountains of Mexico and to the South American Andes, where she took part in a Raleigh International expedition to Chile. Her enthusiasm for Italy developed alongside my love of its art, history, culture, food, wine, and people. She has also studied Italian art and culture with the Open University. As a Teacher of Modern Languages in the UK, she was a fully qualified expedition leader for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Jackie and her husband own and operate Hedonistic Hiking which are group walking tours led in Australia and Italy! Jackie joins us today from Italy and their home in Tuscany where it’s been their base for the last three months! This is where they live while they are running their Italian Tours. We chat about how she started Hedonistic Hiking Tours and her inspiration started at a very young age with her love for languages. She had a very inspirational teacher that encouraged her students to go one step further and to look for the adventure! Don’t be afraid of where you are and what you want to do in life. Not wanting to do what was “expected of her”, Jackie focused on her passion for traveling and shared how that journey evolved into what it looks like today. Hedonistic Hiking Tours gives Jackie and her husband the opportunity to explore the things she loves the most: Sharing her love of food, wine, and walking! Sounds good to me! She enjoys sharing what she loves about Italy and seeing the joy on their faces when they are on their experience! Jackie shares with us the different levels of intensity in their walking tours and there is something available for anyone’s physical ability. They meet you in your comfort zone or you can push yourself with something a bit more challenging. On the lower level hikes, there is a support vehicle so if you are feeling that after lunch you would like to return to your hotel to relax by the pool you have that option! The tours are designed for the older generations which helps a lot to manage your expectations! We may not be elite athletes but we are looking for a fun and memorable tour experience! For Jackie one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing each day the increased confidence in their faces and the joy in their face! I ask Jackie to share her favorite walking tour and she immediately says that it’s the one she is currently on at that moment! However, she does come around and share one of her favorite tours in Italy! You’ll need to tune in to hear her describe this tour as it sounds amazing and dont want to give it away! Jackie shares about what she’s learned about herself through this process and how starting their business they took a risk and stepped out of their comfort zone. They let the business evolve without a 20-page business plan. They did have focus and a direction but they trusted that things were going to progress as they should. She shares that You don’t know what you can achieve until you do it! Don’t get caught up in the weeds and spend your life in the planning process! Start with one foot in front of the other. Maybe 2022 or 2023 might be the year for you to do some exploration in Italy or Australia? Check it out! Resources and Links Connect with Connect with Take The Midlife Passion and Purpose Digital Book Your Spot for the Free 60 minute Clarity Session /episode/index/show/calmthechaos/id/22038806

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