Dear Midlife...

Manifesting Limitless Success

Alright, ladies, buckle up because today’s guest is about to rock your world! If you’ve ever found yourself hustling for success, grinding yourself into the ground, or feeling like manifestation is some fluffy, wishful thinking that never quite works for you—THINK AGAIN.  We are about to dive deep into the kind of transformation that doesn’t just shift your mindset—it shakes up your entire damn reality.  Meet Jaime Pallotolo—a powerhouse Energetic Master, Soul Activator, and Shamanic Healer who helps badass women step into their power and manifest their wildest dreams. We’re talking six-figure months, viral TED Talks, NYT bestsellers, national TV appearances, soul-aligned love, pregnancies, and next-level success. And guess what? She doesn’t do it through overworking, overthinking, or over-sacrificing. Nope. Jaime teaches women how to manifest from a place of ease, pleasure, and energetic alignment—because let’s be real, the hustle culture is played out, and wealth should feel GOOD, not like a punishment.  Jaime’s story is one of resilience, rebirth, and radical transformation—she’s walked away from corporate burnout, survived an abusive marriage, and quite literally came back from her own deathbed. And now? She’s helping women release their own blocks, connect with Spirit, and create realities beyond their wildest dreams.  So if you’re ready to stop playing small, let go of the baggage that’s been holding you back, and start calling in the kind of abundance that makes your soul do a happy dance… THIS is the episode you’ve been waiting for.  In this episode Jaime teaches us: 1. you need to learn to sit with yourself! It takes 90 seconds for your conscious mind to come into subconscious and for your nervous system to rewire and regulate. But, it is difficult to get to this place in our current "hustle" culture in which we never slow down! 2. In order to be able to disrupt patterns of perception, belief and thought, we have to get into the body and experience something different.  3. Trauma comes in all sizes and shapes. We often believe that trauma only include the BIG events that happen, a death of a loved one, abuse, our own near death experience. However, trauma can be something as small as a look or getting lost in a store as a child. These can be traumatic experiences as well and trigger a bodily reaction that you are not safe. 4. You have to allow the emotions to move through your body. When you experience a loss, a scare, a trauma of any kind...take 48 hours to really feel those emotions...scream, cry, pound your pillow, be in your woundedness and then establish a boundary to rise above the emotions. You cannot continue to allow your emotions to rule your life. 5. We can truly manifest anything. However, oftentimes our own attachments or mental blocks to what it is we're trying to manifest impose limitations on what we will manifest. We HAVE to approach manifestation with an open heart and open mind. For more of Jaime: Website | jaimepallotolo.com [https://jaimepallotolo.com] Instagram | @jaimepallotolo [https://www.instagram.com/jaimepallotolo/] If you've been a long time supporter of the Dear Midlife podcast, we'd love to thank you! It has been a 3-year journey and we couldn't have had the success that we have without your support. We love you but, we're taking. a break to regroup and realign. If you interested in continuing to be part of the conversation, you can email me at dearmidlife@gmail.com [dearmidlife@gmail.com] or find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dearmidlife/] or Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DearMidlife/] and we'll continue to keep you in the loop as we find new and exciting ways to connect. This isn't goodbye, it is just "see you later"

Ditching Diets and Going Low Carb to Age Like a Boss

Ladies, buckle up because today’s guest is bringing the truth bombs you need to hear! Our guest, Lori Balue is not here to sugarcoat anything—literally. You know...with 88% of the population being insulin resistant, it’s no wonder we’re in the middle of an obesity epidemic, and Lori is on a mission to help women over 50 take back control of their health, their bodies, and their future.  Lori is a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and Adapt-Certified Functional Health Coach, and she’s all about ditching the BS diets, fixing your gut, and making sure you don’t spend your golden years feeling sluggish, inflamed, and stuck in stretchy pants. She’s the creator of The Holistic Low Carb Method and Weight Loss & Diabetes Solution, designed specifically for women who are sick of the endless cycle of dieting, weight regain, and health struggles.  Lori isn’t just talking the talk—she lost 100 pounds herself, and she’s keeping it off in her 50s. She knows firsthand what it takes to get out of the insulin resistance trap, reset your metabolism, and actually enjoy life without being controlled by food and cravings. She’s helped women shift their mindsets, ditch the office candy, and feel empowered instead of deprived—because health is about making choices that serve you, not settling for whatever’s in the breakroom.  In this episode, Lori is spilling all the tea on:  1. 88% of the population is insulin resistant and this is contributing to the obesity epidemic. 2. Leaky gut is when the permeability of your intestines is weak and allows toxins into your blood stream such as parasites, bacteria, and even food particles that may not have been digested all the way and this causes chronic inflammation and 80% of all health issues, which start in the gut. 3. By minimizing sugar, eating whole (not processed foods), eating lean meat and protein, removing dairy, and carbohydrates and gluten/wheat from your diet and going on a ketogenic diet, you can reduce inflammation, and reset your gut 4. Lowering your carbohydrates below 100/day is a good starting point. To really move your body into ketosis and lower the glycemic load on your body, you need to get below 50 carbs per day. 5. When we turn 50 our adrenals are required to make estrogen. But, at this age, our adrenals are burned out and cannot do what they need to. Estrogen has a lot of impact on our brain function and energy Lori has been featured on multiple podcasts, spoken at the Whole Wheatery in Lancaster, CA, and is an absolute force when it comes to aging beautifully, adventurously, and on your own terms. When she’s not helping women reclaim their bodies, you’ll find her out in nature, running half-marathons, or hiking the Bright Angel Trail at the Grand Canyon—because aging doesn’t mean slowing down, it means leveling up.  To Find more of Lori: Website | Loribalue.com [https://loribalue.com] Instagram | @loribalueweightloss [https://www.instagram.com/loribalueweightloss/] Girl, weight loss is just ONE of the journey's we find ourselves on in midlife, right?! I mean, there's the "I don't know who I am anymore" journey, the "I feel stuck" journey and the "journey of reinvention". You get to choose which journey you're on. Maybe you're on more than one of these paths. But, here's the deal! You don't have to do the journey alone! I will be launching a membership in 2Q 2025 and we want you to be a part of it. Our goal is to connect women from around the world for friendship and fun...virtually and face-to-face (where possible). If you're interested in being a founding member, email me at Shelby.bybee@gmail.com to get in on the action. Find us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DearMidlife/] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dearmidlife/] to stay tuned for more fun info!

Breaking Free and Leaving the Grind Behind to Design a Life You Love

Ever Felt Stuck, Burned Out, and Wondering WTF is Next? Yep, me too. Trapped in a job that sucked the life out of me, clinging to what felt “safe” even though it made me miserable. Stuck in the muck, as today's guest, Michael Gardon, calls it. Sound familiar?  Mike knows a thing or two about breaking free. He walked away from corporate burnout, turned a side hustle into a million-dollar business, and built a framework called Advantage Mapping to help others do the same. He’s a 3x entrepreneur, career pivot pro, and founder of The Break Community, where he helps 14,000+ people ditch unfulfilling work and design lives they actually love.  Here’s the kicker—your identity isn’t set in stone. You have way more agency over who you are and where you’re headed than you think. Mike will show you how to **stop asking “What do I want to DO?” and start asking “How do I want to FEEL?”** Because real transformation starts with knowing yourself and then mapping out multiple paths to get where you actually want to be. If you’ve ever thought, "Is this really IT?"—you’re gonna want to tune in. 🚀 In this episode, Mike teaches us 1. our brain values certain over uncertainty. That is often why we stay "stuck" in the muck...the thing that is making us unhappy...the work or the relationships. 2. Our Identity isn’t permanent and we have a lot of agency over what it is and what we want our identity to be. Once we realize we have agency over identity we can start to look into the future to determine who do I want to be and what are the steps I’m taking to get there. 3. When visioning your future, don’t start with what do you want to DO, start with what do you want to feel like. 4. In order to know where you want to go, you have to have a solid understanding of who you are today and what are your strengths. Use an advantage map (from Warren Buffets Circle of Competence) to explore 8 different dimensions to explore how you can create advantage in your life. 5. Don’t look at your “next step” as a singular path. Develop and work 2-3 different options at once with the expectation that you learn from the experience and that one of the paths will work, allowing you to then focus your time and energy on that. For more of Michael: Website | michaelgardon.com [https://www.michaelgardon.com] LinkedIn | Michaelgardon [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgardon/] And if you find yourself feeling stuck and wondering who you are and what do you want to become-join us. We are a tribe of like-minded, women in midlife who are trying to build connection with one another. You see, the more connections and friendships you have, the happier you will be as well. We will be launching a membership in 2Q 2025 and we want you to be a part of it. Our goal is to connect women from around the world for friendship and fun...virtually and face-to-face (where possible). If you're interested in being a founding member, email me at Shelby.bybee@gmail.com to get in on the action. Find us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DearMidlife/] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dearmidlife/] to stay tuned for more fun info!

Igniting "Tiny Habits" with Small Wins That Create BIG Change

Picture this: it’s January 1st, and you’ve decided this is your year. You’ve got the vision board, the new planner, maybe even some cute workout gear you bought to “motivate” yourself. You’re ready to transform your life. But fast-forward a few weeks (or, let’s be real, a few days), and your big plans have already turned into a pile of “meh.” Sound familiar? Starting a new habit is hard, and sticking with it? Even harder. But what if you’ve been going about it all wrong?  Enter today’s guest, Julie DeLucca-Collins, the habit queen, mindset coach, and all-around badass who’s here to tell you that the secret to lasting change isn’t about doing more—it’s about starting smaller. Like, ridiculously small. Julie is certified in “Tiny Habits,” and trust me, she’ll have you rethinking the way you approach every goal you’ve ever set.  Julie’s all about taking those microscopic wins, celebrating the heck out of them, and building momentum until your brain is hooked on feeling good. And here’s the kicker: she’s not here for comparison games or perfection. Julie is here to help you embrace your strengths, stay in your lane, and unapologetically show up as you.  Oh, and let’s talk receipts: Julie is a TEDx speaker, a member of the Governor’s Counsel for Women and Girls in Connecticut, and has been featured on ABC, NBC, and FOX. She’s also the host of the top-rated podcast Casa DeConfidence, where she co-hosts with her #HotHandsomeHusband—yes, that’s what she calls him—and dishes out wisdom to help you step into your best life.  She’s also sharing her personal journey—how growing up as an outsider taught her the importance of belonging and how she helps others embrace their authentic selves to thrive.  So, if you’re tired of starting over, playing small, or waiting for “someday” to make a change, buckle up. Julie’s about to give you the truth, the tools, and the tiny habits you need to actually transform your life—one small step at a time. In this episode, Julie teaches us: 1. The anatomy of forming a new habit includes: the ability to do the behavior, doing the behavior, then celebrating the behavior. When our brain feels good, that is when the consistency is created. 2. When trying to create a new habit, most of us start TOO big, get overwhelmed and then quit. When we start small, with one thing, we start to associate with the identity of who we are becoming and that makes it easier to continue to add onto what we've started. 3. Stop comparing yourself to others. Only compare your effort to your own past efforts and then celebrate getting incrementally better and showing up for yourself every day. This is the power that will keep you going forward when forming a new habit 4. Stay in your lane and capitalize on the strengths you have. There is more than one way to do "the thing". When. you show up authentically as yourself and honor who you are, the job gets done. 5. Learn to ask for help. Asking for help is a sign of self-awareness and strength. To find more of Julie: TEDx Talk | How Habits Give Us the Confidence to Dance in Life [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrcJisG_wmc] Website | goconfidentlycoaching.com [https://www.goconfidentlycoaching.com] Facebook | goconfidentlycoaching [https://www.facebook.com/GoConfidentlyCoaching] For so long, I've felt stuck...that's right. I'm just like you. Struggling to figure out who I'm supposed to be when I grow up. But, you know what I've come to realize? I'm a connector. That is my calling. And I've wanted to form a membership for women in midlife to connect with other like minded women for friendship and support. But, I'll be honest. I've been too afraid to do it. But...not anymore. I'm going to build and launch a membership in Q2 2025 so that all of us can feel the power of that connection. If you want to be part of the founding members...email me at Shelby.bybee@gmail.com and help me to shape this fabulous friendship group. You can also find me on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DearMidlife/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dearmidlife/] to follow this exciting journey.

Unleashing Happiness: Life Lessons We Can Learn From Dogs

You know, back in 2019, I made a decision that everyone in my life thought was completely out of character. I got a dog. That’s right—me, allergic to dogs, raised in a family of “definitely-not-dog-people,” decided to throw caution, logic, and my sinuses to the wind and bring home Oliver Van Winkle Tinkle. Yes, that’s his real name. And let me tell you, Ollie didn’t just chew through my favorite shoes—he chewed through my old way of life.  Fast forward past middle-of-the-night potty breaks, chewed-up underwear, and a global pandemic, and guess what? This single mom who once swore she’d never be “a dog person” is now that dog person. You know the type. The one talking to strangers at the dog park. The one organizing playdates for her dog like it’s preschool. The one whose dog has a better social life than she does.  But here’s the thing—Ollie didn’t just change my life; he taught me how to live it. And if you’re also a “dog person,” you get it. Dogs have this uncanny ability to teach us humans some pretty profound life lessons—things like living in the moment, finding your pack, and never underestimating the power of play.  Which brings me to today’s guest: Michelle Waitzman. Michelle is a writer, dog lover, and the author of Be as Happy as Your Dog: 16 Dog-Tested Ways to Be Happier Using Pawsitive Psychology. That’s right—she took all those little nuggets of wisdom our dogs offer us and turned them into a guide for living your best life.  So, whether you’re a dog owner, a dog admirer, or just someone trying to figure out why your Labrador is happier than you are, stick around. Michelle’s here to spill the tea—or should I say, the kibble—on how we can all live a little more like our dogs.  In this episode, Michelle is going to show us how to:  1. Humans spend 50% of their time obsessing over the past and future. You can't change the past, nor can you control the future. The present is where happiness lives. Embrace the present like your dog chasing a squirrel.  2. Savor the small joys in life—because honestly, if your dog can lose their mind over a squeaky toy, you can get excited about that first sip of coffee and experiencing and savoring joy for 20 seconds daily changes your brain chemistry. 3. Find your pack—and that includes cutting loose the energy vampires who don’t bring joy to your life and finding people who boost your joy with a love of common things. 4. Play like your happiness depends on it (because, spoiler alert, it does).  5. Embrace serendipity—because sometimes, the best things in life aren’t what you were chasing in the first place.  To find more of Michelle: Website | beashappyasyourdog.com [https://www.beashappyasyourdog.com] Facebook | beashappyasyourdog [https://www.facebook.com/BeAsHappyAsYourDog] Instagram | @beashappyasyourdog [https://@beashappyasyourdog] And if you find yourself feeling stuck and wondering my YOUR dog is happier than you are...join us. We are a tribe of like-minded, women in midlife who are trying to build connection with one another. You see, the more connections and friendships you have (and we're talking with people here...not our furry friends), the happier you will be as well. We will be launching a membership in 2Q2025 and we want you to be a part of it. Our goal is to connect women from around the world for friendship and fun...virtually and face-to-face (where possible). If you're interested in being a founding member, email me at Shelby.bybee@gmail.com to get in on the action. Find us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DearMidlife/] and follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dearmidlife/] to stay tuned for more fun info!