Aging Fiercely Podcast

A 4-Step Thought Process That Upgrades Your Leadership Skills Instantly with Lauren Most

What happens when you climb every rung of the corporate ladder, land your dream job at 33, plan the perfect life—and the whole thing falls apart anyway? Lauren Most spent 15+ years in senior leadership, including a stint as Chief People Officer and a Fortune 10 executive. She did everything "right." Then her dream job didn't feel like the dream, she took a 40% pay cut hoping that would fix it, and a month and a half later her engagement broke off. The perfect plan, executed perfectly, collapsed. In this conversation, Lauren walks us through the post-mortem she ran on herself, the belief that was quietly driving everything (proving her worth), and the four-step tool she now uses with senior leaders—and with herself—to stop reacting on autopilot. It's called the MOST Method, and it works just as well when navigating a high-stakes meeting that just went sideways as it does dealing with a surly teenager who pushes your buttons. If you've ever thought, "I did everything I was supposed to do—why does it not feel the way I thought it would?", this one’s for you. ABOUT LAUREN Lauren Most is a former Chief People Officer and Fortune 10 executive with 15+ years in senior leadership. She now works privately with senior leaders, helping them shift from fear-based, command-and-control leadership into something more creative, intentional, and human. She's the creator of the MOST Method and is writing a book called From Least to Most. WHAT WE GET INTO * (02:30) Hitting her dream job at 33 — and being unhappy * (03:24) The 40% pay cut, the broken engagement, and the moment the perfect plan crumbled * (04:30) Running a post-mortem on herself and finding the common denominator * (06:31) The belief underneath it all: needing to prove her worth * (09:30) The modalities that moved the needle (journaling, somatic work, therapy, mindset) * (12:08) Why integration is the step most of us skip * (15:05) Working with high-stress executives — and the burnout numbers nobody talks about * (17:00) Why command-and-control leadership stopped working * (20:11) What you can still change when you can't change the system * (21:27) Somatic work, storytelling, and metabolizing stress differently * (26:42) Black and white vs. the 64-pack of Crayolas * (27:18) Why effort doesn't scale * (30:48) The 200-tabs-open analogy * (32:18) Driving the business vs. creating busyness * (33:00) Introducing the MOST Method * (38:54) Real-life example: an airline meltdown that didn't become a meltdown * (45:30) Where to find Lauren CONNECT WITH LAUREN * Substack: The Refocus Room [https://mirrormirroradvisory.substack.com/] * LinkedIn: Lauren Most [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenmost/] * Website: mirrormirrorpower.com [http://mirrormirrorpower.com] * Book (coming): From Least to Most Join My Free Workshop Every month I host a free live workshop called Working on Becoming: it’s part workshop / part goal-setting for the month ahead. Held every first Tueday of the month on Sunstack. Sign up here to join: amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop [http://amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop] And if this episode made you think of a friend who's been forcing her way through her own version of "the perfect plan"—send it her way. She’ll thank you! ❤️

Your Body Can Heal: Gut Health, Hormones, and the Path to Pain-Free with Stacey Roberts

Stacey Roberts has spent over 30 years looking at the body as a whole — and in this conversation, she breaks down why chronic pain is so much more than a physical problem. Stacey walks us through the connection between gut health and joint pain, why food sensitivities can show up as pain, skin issues, and fatigue, and how declining hormones during perimenopause and menopause remove the body's natural anti-inflammatory protection. She also gets into why conventional medicine tends to compartmentalize the body rather than connect the dots, why movement is still medicine even when you're in pain, and why "it's just your age" is simply not an acceptable answer. If you have been living with pain that won't go away and you're not sure where to start, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Declining hormones remove your body's natural inflammatory protection. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are anti-inflammatory. When they decline during perimenopause and menopause, that protection decreases, and adding alcohol and ultra-processed foods on top of that creates what Stacey calls a "perfect storm" for pain. 2. Food sensitivities can be a direct cause of chronic pain. If pain persists long after the original trigger is gone, food sensitivities may be contributing. Stacey recommends the ALCAT or MRT tests for accurate results. 3. Movement helps with pain, even when it is the last thing you want to do. Studies consistently show that movement significantly reduces pain. The key is finding a range of motion that is not painful and working from there. Connect with Stacey Roberts newyouhealthandwellness.com [http://newyouhealthandwellness.com] 🎙️ The Pain-Free Formula Podcast 📖 The Pain-Free Formula (available on Amazon) Free Resource Join my free Monthly Becoming Workshop, it's a live goal-setting session held the first week of every month. 👉 amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop [http://amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop] Connect with AM Instagram: am_costanzo [https://www.instagram.com/am_costanzo/] YouTube: amcostanzowellness [https://www.youtube.com/@amcostanzowellness] Facebook: amcostanzowellness [https://www.facebook.com/amcostanzowellness]

Micro-Adventures, Decluttering, and Why Your Brain Thrives on Change

When you feel stuck, uninspired, lackluster, or like you've lost your sparkle, sometimes the smallest change in your environment can shift your entire mood. Seriously. Taking a different route to work. Moving a chair into a different room. Lighting a candle you forgot you had. It sounds almost too simple, right? But don't underestimate it. In this episode, I'm inviting you to take a mini-adventure. This morning I took a different route when dropping my kids to school school, came home, and recorded this podcast from my kitchen table in one of my new cozy chairs with my candle going. And something shifted. My brain noticed the new scenery and felt good to not be tied to my desk. My body relaxed and the words flowed! Today I'm talking about why your brain sometimes works better when there's a shift in your environment or routine. I also get into the shift that can occur when you let go of unneccesary clutter that may be affecting your nervous system without you realzing. Key Takeaways * The American Psychological Association has found that your physical environment directly affects how creatively and expansively you think. New spaces open your mind, cluttered familiar ones close it down * My nervous system, and yours, is constantly scanning the environment for safety cues. Clutter, noise, and overly familiar spaces can keep you in low-level stress mode without you even realizing it * Small bursts of novelty, like a different route, a new café, a change in scenery, are what your brain is craving, and research shows subtle shifts are better for long-term happiness than saving it all for one big vacation * Open your closet and you'll see how you see yourself. Your environment is a mirror, and clearing it creates a release that goes way beyond the physical * Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and the weekly artist date—taking yourself somewhere new, alone, with no agenda—can be used as a practice for sparking creativity and self-connection Free Resource Join me live for the Monthly Becoming Her Workshop. It's my free Substack goal-setting session to help you get out of your head and into the life you're building. Click here to join 👉 https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop [https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop] Book Your Breakthrough Session With Me You know something is off but can't quite name it yet. You wants to feel better—more fulfilled, more satisfied—but you're not sure where to start. A Breakthrough Session is the perfect entry point. One hour to gain clarity, find direction, and begin to see where more alignment is possible in your life. No big leap required. Just a first step. Click here and say yes! 👉 amcostanzo.com/breakthroughsessions [http://amcostanzo.com/breakthroughsessions] Connect with Me * Website: amcostanzo.com [http://amcostanzo.com] * Instagram: @am_costanzo [https://www.instagram.com/am_costanzo/] * Substack: Aging Fiercely [https://amcostanzo.substack.com/] * YouTube: amcostanzowellness [https://www.youtube.com/@amcostanzowellness] What's your mini-adventure going to be this week? Drop it in the comments! And if this episode resonated with you, please share it with your bestie or leave a five-star rating or a review. ❤️

Perimenopause, Hormones & How to Advocate for Yourself in the Doctor's Office with Dr. Dana Culp

If you've ever left a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, confused, or handed a prescription that didn't feel right, this episode on perimenopause and women's hormonal health is for you. I'm joined by Dr. Dana Culp, a physician with 25 years of experience who now exclusively specializes in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause care. Dr. Culp shares her own deeply personal experience of being dismissed by multiple providers while navigating perimenopause herself, despite being a doctor, and how that journey lit a fire under her to transform her entire practice. We talk about how to advocate for yourself in medical settings, the three questions every woman should bring to her next appointment, hormone testing, HRT myths, and how to find a qualified provider. If you've ever felt like you're not being heard, this conversation will change how you walk into your next appointment. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. You Are Part of the Medical Team Dr. Culp introduces the concept of shared decision-making and why women need to walk into their appointments as equals, not passive recipients of care. Knowing what questions to ask—including what training your provider has in this specific area, how they individualize care, and how they monitor progress—can completely shift the dynamic and the outcome of your care. 2. Hormones Aren't the Cause of Everything, But They Deserve a Seat at the Table Hormone levels are rarely screened as a standard part of women's healthcare, and Dr. Culp makes the case for why they should be. She walks through how she approaches hormonal health alongside other foundational lab values, and why "normal labs" doesn't always mean the full picture has been examined. 3. Outdated Medical Thinking Is Still Affecting Women's Care Today From providers who are unfamiliar with current HRT research to blanket advice like "eat less, move more," Dr. Culp breaks down how old protocols are still being applied to women today and what you can do about it. She also explains how telehealth and menopause-specialized directories (like the Menopause Society registry) are expanding access to care no matter where you live. FREE RESOURCE Ready to start feeling good? Join me for my Monthly Becoming Her Workshop: my free monthly goal-setting session on Substack Live, designed for women who are done playing small. 👉 Sign up here: Becoming Her Workshop [https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop] CONNECT WITH ME Website: amcostanzo.com [http://amcostanzo.com]  YouTube: amcostanzowellness [https://www.youtube.com/@amcostanzowellness]  Instagram: am_costanzo [https://www.instagram.com/am_costanzo/] Connect with Dr. Dana Culp:   Website: thrivemidlifemed.com [http://thrivemidlifemed.com] (includes a free perimenopause quiz) 📱  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thrivemidlifemed/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/thrivemidlifemed] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-midlife-medicine/] LET'S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis — it's a comeback!

You're Not Stuck. You're Scared of What Becoming Her Will Cost You

You've done the vision boarding. You've written about her. You've built her up in your mind—the version of you who shows up confidently, runs the business, lives the life. But there comes a point when planning for her isn't enough anymore. In this episode about embodying your future self and building self-trust in midlife, I share what happened when I decided to stop waiting and start being her today. Just me, showing up, trusting myself to figure it out. We talk about why we're not stuck so much as we are scared, how we use the "good" things in life to avoid the things that matter most, and the soccer field concept from the book Happy Pocket Full of Money that completely changed how I think about my future self. She's not far away. She's already here on the field. It's just a matter of claiming her. If you're a woman over 40 who's ready to stop futurescaping and start living as the woman you're becoming, this one's for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. There Comes a Point When You Have to Stop Planning and Start Being Vision boarding, journaling, crafting the future version of yourself, all of that work is valuable. But at some point you have to rip the bandaid off and just decide: I'm going to be her now. Not when conditions are perfect. Not when you feel ready. Now. It's what separates the women who transform from the ones who stay in the planning phase indefinitely. 2. We Use the "Good" Things to Avoid the Things That Matter Workouts. Laundry. Grocery runs. Tied-up loose ends. We tell ourselves we'll get to the important work once everything else is done. But that list never ends, and using genuinely good things as avoidance is still avoidance. Don't cheat yourself. The hard thing you keep sidestepping? That's the thing she would do. So do it first. 3. You're Not Stuck, You're Just Scared of What Changing Will Cost You Feeling stuck isn't really about being stuck. It's about not knowing what life looks like on the other side of becoming her. What changes? Who do you disappoint? What does your day look like when you start prioritizing yourself? That uncertainty is what's keeping you frozen, not a lack of ability or readiness. Your future self is already here, already on the field. You just have to claim her. FREE RESOURCE Join me for the Monthly Becoming Her Workshop. It's my free monthly live goal-setting session on Substack! Set your goals in real time, speak them into life, and come back at the end of the month to reflect on how far you've come. 👉 https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop [https://www.amcostanzo.com/free-goal-setting-workshop] CONNECT WITH ME Website: amcostanzo.com [http://amcostanzo.com] YouTube: amcostanzowellness [https://www.youtube.com/@amcostanzowellness] Instagram: am_costanzo [https://www.instagram.com/am_costanzo/] LET'S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION What's one thing she would do that you've been putting off? Start there this week. Find me on Instagram or Substack and let me know — let's hold each other accountable. If this hit home for you, I'd love it if you'd leave a quick 5-star rating or just drop a ❤️ in the comments. Or hit that follow button so we can keep spreading the word that midlife isn't a crisis, it's a comeback!