(#65) Midlife Graduation: The Plot Twist No One Warned You About

(#69) Your 401k Shouldn't Become a 201k - Let's Fix That with Mike Milligan

Squad, we are talking about money today. Your money. Your next chapter. Your plan. And I brought in the guy who makes this stuff actually make sense — without the intimidation, without the jargon, and without making you feel behind. This conversation is going to fire you up in ways you did not expect from a money episode. Meet Mike Milligan: He's a certified financial planner, fiduciary, founder of Ideas by Mike and One Oak Financial, and author of The One-of-a-Kind Financial Plan. Mike has spent 30 years helping people turn financial chaos into a real plan — and he lives in Puerto Rico because taxes are THAT big of a deal to him. Yeah. He's that good. 💸 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for up to 30% off now through June 1st. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: * 💸 Why money is just a tool — and how shifting that mindset changes everything about how you earn, save and spend * 🏠 The $10,000 gift that could give your kids $500,000 in equity — and why giving money NOW beats leaving an inheritance later * 🧾 The Augusta, Georgia tax hack that lets you rent your home tax-free — and yes, it applies to YOU too * 😴 The "sleep meter" approach to financial risk — and why there's no one-size-fits-all answer for midlife investing * 📖 Why your first memory of money is running your financial life right now — and what to do about it 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Your financial plan shouldn't be built around a spreadsheet. It should be built around your life — your why, your goals, your laundry preferences. 😄 It's never too late to get this right. And the cost of NOT having a plan is always higher than the cost of getting one. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Mike Milligan: 🌐 mikemilligan.com 📚 The One-of-a-Kind Financial Plan — available on Amazon. Search "Mike Milligan One of a Kind Financial Plan" ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com

(#68) Your Body Isn't Broken...Your Approach Is - with Michelle MacDonald

Squad, if you've ever thought your body was broken, your metabolism was shot, or it was just too late — Michelle MacDonald is about to blow your mind. This conversation is one of the most science-packed, myth-busting, fire-starting episodes we've ever done. Buckle up. Meet Michelle MacDonald: She's a world-renowned strength and transformation coach, four-time FMG champion, founder of The Wonderwomen, and the woman behind her mom Joan MacDonald's viral fitness transformation that took the internet by storm. Michelle helps women over 40 build muscle, reclaim their health, and lead themselves with unshakable discipline. Her mission? End the obsession with shrinking and show women how to rise. She lives between San Miguel and Tulum. And yes — she lifts heavy. 💪 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for up to 30% off now through June 1st. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: • 💪 The biggest lie women over 40 believe about their bodies — and the truth that will change everything • 🔬 Why Michelle's approach is science-based AND results-proven — and how to spot the difference between real coaching and cheerleading • 🍽️ The real reason you can't out-train a decade of undereating — and what it actually takes to build the body you want in midlife • 💊 The honest truth about GLP-1s — what they can do, what they can't, and what you absolutely must be doing alongside them • 🏆 Why bodybuilding is actually a team sport — and how The Wonderwomen community is changing what's possible for women in midlife 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Your body isn't broken. Your approach was. Your current picture will one day be your before picture — but only if you stop shrinking and start building. Women can do hard things. Michelle just proved it with her mom. Now it's your turn. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Michelle MacDonald: 📸 @michellemacdonaldofficial 📸 @thewonderwomenofficial 🌐 michellemacdonaldofficial.com 📧 hello@thewonderwomen.com 🔗 Don't miss Joan: 📸 @trainwithjoan 📱 Train with Joan App — plankk.partners/trainwithjoan 📣 UPCOMING FROM MICHELLE: 🏋️ 24-Week Transformation Program — launching June 15th. Very limited spots. Email hello@thewonderwomen.com to get on the waitlist. 🌴 2027 Annual Retreat — February 21st, Amansala in Tulum. 35 spots only. Waitlist opening next month. Email hello@thewonderwomen.com to get on the list. ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com

(#67) She Won a Station Wagon, Survived Sepsis & Is Absolutely Not Done Yet - with Wawa (aka-My Mom)

Squad! She raised me, outlasted a game show circuit, survived sepsis at 84, and still showed up to this podcast with curled hair and a matching leather jacket. This one is for every mother, daughter, and woman who refuses to slow down — no matter what life throws at them. 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for 20% off. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: * 🎰 How Wawa won a station wagon, a trip to Europe & $11,000 on game shows — and the strategy behind it all * 😂 The story of how "Wawa" got her name (hint: it involves a painter named Wa Lo and a toddler named Tyler) * 🚨 The health scare that almost took her from us — a UTI, a gallstone, sepsis & the ICU stay that changed everything * 💡 What surviving a near-death experience at 84 taught her about not wasting a single moment * ❤️ The advice she'd give every woman in midlife: stop missing the moments, take up space & go do the thing NOW 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Wawa survived sepsis, came home from rehab, and her first question was whether Melis made it to Tyler's party. That's the energy. Stop waiting. Stop stressing. Go do the thing — because we are not done, and neither is she. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Wawa: 📸 She doesn't have Instagram. She's 84 and living her best life. Respect it. 😌 ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com [info@motivatewithmelis.com]

(#66) Make Shiz Happen May (Yes… You're Doing the Thing) - Solo with Melis

"You're not stuck… you're stalling." Gloss Squad… you didn't just press play — you signed up for a challenge. After a slightly woo-woo but wildly eye-opening hypnosis session (yes, in my closet 😅), I had a realization I couldn't ignore: I'm not confused… I've been playing small. And I know I'm not the only one. So welcome to Make Shiz Happen May — where we stop waiting, stop overthinking, and finally start doing the thing. 🔥 In This Episode, We Get Into: * The surprising breakthrough from my hypnosis session (and what it revealed about playing small) * Why "I don't have time" might be the biggest lie we tell ourselves * The difference between being stuck vs. stalling (this one hits 😏) * Why clarity and confidence only come after you take action 🚀 Your Challenge (Yes, You Have Homework): Pick ONE thing you've been putting off… And take ONE step toward it within 24 hours. Not a plan. Not a list. Action. If you're in, DM me "MAY" — I'm holding you accountable 👀 And remember...Midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 💬 Connect with Me: Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com [https://motivatewithmelis.com] ⭐️ Loving the show? Leave a 5-star review (only the 5-star energy allowed 😏): RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis

(#65) Midlife Graduation: The Plot Twist No One Warned You About

"It's not just our kids graduating… we are too." Graduation season hits different when you're the parent. One minute you're clapping, cheering, taking a million photos… …and the next you're crying in your car over the last lunchbox. Because here's the truth no one talks about: This isn't just their transition—it's yours too. In this solo episode, Melis gets real about the emotional whiplash of graduation season, the identity shift that follows, and the big question lurking underneath it all… Now What?! 🎧 In This Episode, We Get Into: * Why graduation feels like an emotional identity crisis no one warned you about * The quiet reality of being needed less… and what the hell to do with that * The toxic pull of comparison season (aka everyone's highlight reel vs your real life) * Your official permission slip to stop living for everyone else and start your reset 🔥 REAL TALK MOMENT: You don't have to have it all figured out. Melis is 53 and still asking "what do I want to be when I grow up?"—and guess what… that's not failure. That's freedom. Graduation isn't just a milestone for your kids… It's a mirror. Everything is shifting. And maybe—just maybe—that's exactly what you needed. And remember, midlife isn't a crisis - it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 📲 CONTACT Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com [https://motivatewithmelis.com] ⭐️ RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis (5 stars only… we're fragile in midlife, okay? 😂)