Forties Stories

You should not navigate midlife alone. Find out what other 40-something women are thinking, feeling, and doing to get connected and inspired. It's never too late to pivot, reach for a goal, and create a midlife you love. Join host Christy Maguire and her 40-something guests to discuss goals, aging, self-compassion, friendship, parenting, mindset, and more. Let's bust some negative stereotypes along the way. Please hit subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend!

The Top 10 Things I Learned in My 40s 03/30/2023

How to Dive Into Your 40s: Michelle Wright, 40 03/23/2023

Do the Thing: Skye Pillsbury, 49 03/16/2023

Update + The Art of Quitting 03/15/2023

Seeing Wonder All Around Us: Kathleen McKitty Harris, 49 03/17/2020

Seeing Wonder All Around Us: Kathleen McKitty Harris, 49 Today I’ve changed up my content calendar to bring you an episode that speaks more to where we all find ourselves today – dealing with the uncertainty of a global pandemic. I had this conversation last week with Kathleen McKitty Harris and feel this is an especially timely episode because she challenges us to see the wonder all around us, every day. That means even now while our autopilot has effectively been ground to a halt. I want to give you content that you want, so I’m asking you help me do that by answering a survey that won’t take more than 5 minutes of your time. You can even pause right now to do it - you’ll find the direct link here: Kathleen McKitty Harris and I talk about how she gained confidence in her 40s to really embrace her calling, the quest for identity, and how she’s feeling about the coming empty nest. We also talk about how we can weather life with confidence because of our experience and how we, as GenXers, have an opportunity to be a bridge to other generations. I personally love how Kathleen captures both the beauty and absurdity of life, with a dash of humor, on her Instagram posts. In the episode she talks about how all we have are our stories -- and that every day we start a new one when we rise. We have more opportunity than ever to witness the ordinary now as we social distance, which I think gives us back a sense of control. Kathleen McKitty Harris is a fifth-generation native New Yorker whose work has been published in Longreads, Creative Nonfiction, Sonora Review, McSweeney's, and The Rumpus, among others. Her essay, “A Timeline of Human Female Development,” appears in My Body, My Words, an anthology centered on body image and positivity, and named by BUSTLE Magazine as one of “11 New Feminist Books That Could Totally Change Your Year.” Kathleen also performs as a storyteller at such venues as The Moth in New York City, and co-hosts the “What’s Your Story?” reading series in her backyard in northern New Jersey, where she lives with her husband, two children, and an irredeemable dog. Be sure to connect with me on social media to stay abreast of everything. I love hearing from you, so send me an email or leave a comment on any the episode on the website, which you can find at . I’ll also tell you how to connect with Kathleen in the show notes - I hope you’ll give her a follow her on Instagram. Thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/13587614

Mini-Ep. 5 - Five Things I’ve Learned This Year 03/10/2020

Lessons for Midlife: Jacqueline Kerr, 48 02/11/2020

Lessons for Midlife: Jacqueline Kerr, 48 Today we’re talking about what a midlife crisis might teach us. I had a great, and uplifting, conversation with Jacqueline Kerr. We talk about conscious parenting, why the question “what do I want?” is so difficult, and how her relationships improved after a midlife crisis. We also talk about why it’s important that our kids see us struggle and the prevalence of gender bias, especially in academia. Jacqueline has some interesting advice for anyone dealing with a loved one with Alzheimer’s that left me a bit teary. Jacqueline Kerr has lived all over the world and attended boarding school from the age of 10. She started her career in advertising, but wanted to use her persuasion skills for something with more purpose, so she got a PhD in physical activity promotion. She came to the US in 2004 for a postdoc, with no intention to stay, but ended up meeting her husband. She got her first professor job after writing a successful grant while on maternity leave. Jacqueline became a full professor in 2017 and got a $10 million grant, but it felt meaningless at the age of 45 and she left it all a just over a year later. Jacqueline is currently running a grant writing consultancy, hosting a midlife podcast, looking after her two kids who are 6 & 11, and taking improv classes – she’s still on the journey, but is not tethered to a life that was no longer working for her. For similar episodes, check out: - My friend Jo felt like she wasn’t where she expected to be at 40. - Catherine Schweikert said the traumas in her life caught up with her body in midlife. – Barb Dvoracek realized that she was no longer having “firsts” and talks about the U-Curve. Be sure to connect with me on social media to stay abreast of everything coming in 2020. I’d love to know how I can support you on your journey, so send me an email or leave a comment on any the episode on the website, which you can find at . I’ll also tell you how to connect with Jacqueline and find her podcast in the show notes. If you are enjoying the show, please share it with a friend and get a conversation started. Thanks for listening and your support! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/13110647

The Intuition to Heal: Catherine Schweikert, 49 01/28/2020

The Intuition to Heal: Catherine Schweikert, 49 I had an interesting and insightful conversation with Catherine Schwikert. We talk about how your triumphs and traumas affect your health and body, the power of using your intuition, and how she felt a deeper calling in her 40s. She discusses her idea of pragmatic compassion and how we can practice it in our lives to heal our bodies and souls. Catherine also shares some wisdom about how to better work in partnership with medical professionals. Catherine Schweikert was born in Texas and raised on military bases until the age of 10. Her family settled in California when her parents divorced. She was abused by an older family member, and at that time she discovered that her older sister was actually her mother. She struggled with her identity and her place in the world for many years and eventually found her solace in books, education, and her insatiable quest for healing. Catherine has been practicing medicine as a physician assistant for the last 20 years in both emergency departments and urgent care. She is currently working on her PhD in applied psychophysiology to better understand trauma and the human body response to it and how it relates to physiological illness. She blogs at and is currently in the final editing processes of her first nonfiction book. The book describes her personal experiences and how she rose from the confusion of a traumatic childhood to heal and share her compassionate pragmatic methods to help others heal. Catherine does not discuss any abuse in this episode. If you have suffered any kind of trauma, including generational trauma, I hope that you will find some hope in this episode, even if just the tiniest glimmer. I know that often resources feel scarce, but I encourage you to check out Catherine’s blog for some additional support. If you are enjoying the show, please leave a rating or review and share it with a friend. Thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/12920165

You Are Strong in Midlife: Halelly Azulay, 49 12/31/2019

You Are Strong in Midlife: Halelly Azulay, 49 What better way to ring in the new year (and decade!) then to discover your strengths and use them to create meaningful work and a fulfilling life. I wanted this conversation to go live on the last day of 2019 because it is more practical and action-oriented than my usual episodes. There’s a lot of excitement – and hype! – around 2020 and many of us are planning our year and even thinking more long term, so my guest, Hallely Azulay, offers some valuable insight and tools. Halelly and I talk about the formula for determining your strengths and how those strengths should guide you more than an elusive search for your “passion,” and how to be more positive about networking. Hallely busts the myth that women, especially those in midlife, aren’t strong – physically, emotionally, and psychologically. She shares how a number of childhood moves made her determined and what she’s most excited about now. Halelly Azulay is CEO & leadership development strategist at TalentGrow LLC. An expert in leadership, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic networking, she develops leaders that people *want* to follow. She is the author of two books, Employee Development on a Shoestring and Strength to Strength. Halelly offers actionable leadership insights and advice as a sought-after speaker and workshop leader as well as on her blog and her leadership podcast, the TalentGrow Show. You can find the show notes, and how to connect with Halelly, here: I’ll share my other 4 top strengths in the comments section on this episode, and invite you to do the same. Were there any surprises? I’d also love to know if you generally pick a word of the year? It’s not something that I’ve ever done before, so I’m looking to all of you to see if this is something you find helpful. I’ve narrowed in on one, but I can find myself getting a bit twitchy narrowing it to just one. Let me know what you’ve picked or if you are word-curious and we can figure it out together. I would be remiss if I ended the year without letting you know how truly grateful I am that you have tuned in and supported me and the show – since I first hit publish in March. Thank you to everyone who has rated or reviewed the show – I know you get so many requests to review podcasts, books, small businesses, and everything else. I read every review and love hearing from you! I’d love to know how I can support you on your journey. You can find me on all the social media platforms or shoot me an email. I look forward to sharing more stories with you as we navigate midlife together - and hope that 2020 is a year for discovery and growth. Happy New Year! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/12574967

Living Out Loud in Midlife: Allison Hare, 45 12/17/2019

The Myth of Having it All: Johanna Selth, 43 12/03/2019

Building Healthy Boundaries: Helen Snape, 43 11/05/2019

Building Healthy Boundaries: Helen Snape, 43 Today we are talking about the insidious business of people pleasing. It’s something that so many of us do without even thinking. It’s become a habit that my guest Helen Snape gently reminds us that we can change. She’s been there herself. Helen became a transformational relationship coach after 19 years in Human Resources and Development. She works with women on breaking free from people-pleasing, codependency, and bad relationships to build a life they love. Helen loves walking in the woods, meditating daily, and dancing to YouTube videos. She lives with her partner in Surrey, England. Helen and I talk about the roots of people pleasing in her life, how a scarcity mindset limits us, and how to reparent our inner child. She opens up about how a childhood of bullying made her “dial down” her true self and what served as her wake-up call. She also busts the idea that women should be nice. After the interview, Helen confessed off the air that she’s only recently begun to tell her story. I admire this so much. We as humans are bound by stories. We see our pain, our joy, our idiosyncrasies in others. I asked her if I could share that with you. She agreed. I think you’ll understand after hearing her powerful story, which she so eloquently tells. Get a copy of Helen’s new book, “Building Healthy Boundaries - An Over-Givers Guide to When to Say Yes and How to Say No in Relationships.” Head over to to find out how do that and connect with Helen. I’d love to hear what you think about the episode. Is people pleasing something you struggle with or have overcome? Every episode has a comments section on the website, so please check it out and share your thoughts. We’re all in this together. You can also email me and find me on social media. Finally, if you are enjoying the show, I hope you will forward it to a friend and get a conversation started. Thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11917481

How to Reinvent Yourself: Manuela Powell, 46 10/22/2019

The Amazing Power of Being Honest: Judi Ketteler, 45 10/08/2019

The Amazing Power of Being Honest: Judi Ketteler, 45 Are we telling ourselves the truth? Today we dive into the topic of honesty, which is the subject of Judi Ketteler’s forthcoming book, “Would I Lie To You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in World That Lies.” Judi and I talk about the roots of lying in her own life, how honesty isn’t as simple as you might believe, and why in this fractured time in our history we should all question our decisions around telling the truth. We talk a lot about friendship on this show, and Judi tells us why she feels making and keeping friends in your 40s is hard. This book is about relationships, and Judi makes the case that honesty improves them. The most important relationship is the one that you have with yourself. Judi Ketteler has written for dozens of publications such as The New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, and many more. She’s also an award-winning columnist for Cincinnati Magazine, where she writes pieces about the weirdness of midlife. She is the author of two non-fiction books on sewing. When she’s not writing, Judi loves running, yoga, and flea markets. She lives with her husband and two young children in Cincinnati, Ohio. The book will be released on December 31, so if you preorder you will have it in hand on January 1 - which is a perfect way to dive into 2020. That’s right, we’re headed into a new decade, which seems a perfect time to make some changes. If you like to wrestle with big topics, are just curious, or want to feel more powerful than you need to check out this book. Yup, the most important piece to remember is its subtitle “The amazing power of being honest in a world that lies.” Doesn’t that sound nice. I will let you know how to connect with Judi in the show notes, which you can find at . If you are enjoying the show, I hope you’ll spread the word by sharing it with a friend. Let me know what you think of the episode. On the website there is a comments section for every episode, or you can reach me by email or on social media. Thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11562653

The Amazing Power of Being Honest: Judi Ketteler, 45 10/08/2019

The Amazing Power of Being Honest: Judi Ketteler, 45 Are we telling ourselves the truth? Today we dive into the topic of honesty, which is the subject of Judi Ketteler’s forthcoming book, “Would I Lie To You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in World That Lies.” Judi and I talk about the roots of lying in her own life, how honesty isn’t as simple as you might believe, and why in this fractured time in our history we should all question our decisions around telling the truth. We talk a lot about friendship on this show, and Judi tells us why she feels making and keeping friends in your 40s is hard. This book is about relationships, and Judi makes the case that honesty improves them. The most important relationship is the one that you have with yourself. Judi Ketteler has written for dozens of publications such as The New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, and many more. She’s also an award-winning columnist for Cincinnati Magazine, where she writes pieces about the weirdness of midlife. She is the author of two non-fiction books on sewing. When she’s not writing, Judi loves running, yoga, and flea markets. She lives with her husband and two young children in Cincinnati, Ohio. The book will be released on December 31, so if you preorder you will have it in hand on January 1 - which is a perfect way to dive into 2020. That’s right, we’re headed into a new decade, which seems a perfect time to make some changes. If you like to wrestle with big topics, are just curious, or want to feel more powerful than you need to check out this book. Yup, the most important piece to remember is it’s subtitle “The amazing power of being honest in a world that lies.” Doesn’t that sound nice. I will let you know how to connect with Judi in the show notes, which you can find at . If you are enjoying the show, I hope you’ll spread the word by sharing it with a friend. Let me know what you think of the episode. On the website there is a comments section for every episode, or you can reach me by email or on social media. Thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11562599

How to Thrive in Your 40s: Jackie MacDougall, 48 09/24/2019

An Announcement 09/17/2019

A Holistic Journey of Midlife: Lizbeth Ericka, 40 09/10/2019

A Holistic Journey of Midlife: Lizbeth Ericka, 40 Life is a journey. What a cliché, right? But as Jack Kerouac said, “all clichés are truisms, and truisms are true.” If we think of our lives in those terms though, we start to appreciate that where we are today, doesn’t mean that we’ll be in the same place tomorrow. I love what my guest Lizbeth Ericka has to say about journeys. Lizbeth and I talk about her path to entrepreneurship, what she’s learned from her teens, and her spirt animals. She also reveals why she agreed to say yes to this interview. One of my favorite parts of these interviews is at the end where I ask my guests if there is anything else they’d like to mention before we close. It’s always fascinating, and usually profound. Lizbeth pleasantly surprised me with a new approach to this question, so you’ll definitely want to listen till the end. Lizbeth Ericka worked in Research and Evaluation for many years directing health promotion projects for federal and local agencies. She is a trained mental health counselor and has worked with adolescents and adults in different community settings. In 2015, she made the courageous move to leave her corporate job to forge a path to educate, empower, and shift the way that individuals view health and wellness. She is certified in various fitness modalities, and is an avid cyclist and runner. In August 2019, Lizbeth launched a yoga space in East Harlem, NY where she teaches yoga, conducts workshops, and does one-one-coaching at CB Health and Wellness Center. I hope that this episode makes you think about your own journey. I will let you know how to connect with Lizbeth in the show notes, which you can find at . I’d love to hear from you. On the website, you will find my email address and links to social media. I know many of you have shared the show with a friend, and for that I’m really grateful. If you are new to the show, or have tuned in before, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11196326

Bonus: Sisters in Conversation with Sandi Reinardy and Barb Dvoracek 09/05/2019

Bonus: Sisters in Conversation with Sandi Reinardy and Barb Dvoracek Today is the final part in our special 3-part sisters’ series. The series includes episode 20 with Sandi Reinardy and episode 21 with her older sister Barb Dvoracek. Sandi and Barb talk about their relationship, how they consider spending time with their sisters as self-care, and what they’re both working on in terms of self-development. They also talk about Sandi’s decision not to have children – the first time they really opened up about it. It’s a fun, heart-warming conversation, that is a tribute to sisters. Sandi Reinardy, 41, is in the midst of making a career change from database consultant to social worker, with a focus on criminal justice efforts. She is also a writer and recently launched a blog called Grumble Wonder Grow, where she wrestles with the beautiful, messy challenges of being a human. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband. Barb Dvoracek, 47, worked for 17 years at a global consumer products company in management and clinical research. She has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and human biology, and a master of science in microbiology. Barb also recently completed another master’s in social work in order to make a career change. She lives in Wisconsin and has been married to her husband Bill for 17 years. Barb has taken a year off work to spend more time with her four children, ranging in age from 10 - 24, and to help care for her parents. I know that many of you don’t have sister or have a sister, but you aren’t close. Whether that’s you or if you, too, have a tight bond with your sister – I hope it leaves you inspired to have those important conversations that you need or want. The sound quality is not the best in this episode, and I worked quite a bit to get it to where it is now. I hope that you can overlook it, because you won’t want to miss it. As you heard in both of those episodes, Sandi reached out to me at the beginning of summer and proposed this series, which has been really wonderful. I am grateful to both Sandi and Barb for their voices and support! Let me know what you think about this series. I’d love to hear your thoughts, your questions, your ideas. Please head over to . From there, you can email me or find me on social media. If you are enjoying the show, I would be grateful if you would take a minute to leave a rating or review to help other women find it. Thank you for listening! /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11132711

In the Thick of the Sandwich Generation: Barb Dvoracek, 47 09/03/2019

In the Thick of the Sandwich Generation: Barb Dvoracek, 47 Today’s episode is part 2 of 3 of a special sisters’ series. Part 3 is a bonus episode that will air this Thursday, September 5th. My guest Barb Dvoracek and I talk about how she is balancing priorities as part of the sandwich generation, why we should get better at forgiving ourselves, and how she maintains her connection to family and to friends – old and new. We also talk about the happiness curve and how mid- to late-40s is a time when many women, and men, feel a level of discontent that is not necessarily dependent on circumstances. Finally, Barb busts the tired stereotypes around gray hair. Barb Dvoracek worked for 17 years at a global consumer products company in management and clinical research. She has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and human biology, and a master of science in microbiology. Barb also recently completed another master’s in social work in order to make a career change. She lives in Wisconsin and has been married to her husband Bill for 17 years. Barb has taken a year off work to spend more time with her four children, ranging in age from 10 - 24, and to help care for her parents. If you are tuning in for the first time, you’ll want to check out last week's episode with Sandi, which is part one. On Thursday Barb and Sandi are in conversation together. One that was very moving for all of us. You won’t want to miss it. I’d like to thank Sandi for proposing this series and Barb for being so enthusiastic! I’m grateful to them for their support and for sharing their voice with us. If you would like to join in the conversation, please let me know. I’d also love to hear your thoughts, your questions, your ideas. Please head over to . From there, you can email me or find me on social media. I’d like to thank everyone who has left a rating or review for the show! It is a labor of love for me and so I very much appreciate the gesture as it helps more women find the show. I know that so many of you have also shared the show with friends – and I am grateful. /episode/index/show/fortiesstories/id/11105720