School of Midlife

What if being called “selfish” was actually your first clue that you’re finally doing it right?

Episode Summary:

We’ve been taught our whole lives that putting ourselves first is selfish. That the gold star goes to the woman who juggles all the balls, sacrifices the most, and never drops a single one—especially not the ones tied to motherhood, marriage, or work. But what if that’s the exact mindset that’s keeping you stuck?

In this ep...

This is the story of what happens when a woman finally says: enough.

In this deeply moving episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie is joined by Megan Hodgdon—a survivor, entrepreneur, award-winning food artist, and living proof that it’s never too late to rewrite your story.

Megan’s journey includes surviving two abusive marriages, navigating the court system, rebuilding trust, reclaiming her identity, and eventually launching a thr...

In this episode, host Laurie Reynoldson dives into a truth many high-achieving women avoid admitting: the discomfort, guilt, and conditioning around prioritizing ourselves.

We’re in midlife—when everyone wants us to believe we should be winding down, focusing on others, or finally feeling “settled.” But what if this is actually the season when you’re supposed to become more of yourself? What if the life you've built isn't ...

What if the secret to feeling strong and confident in midlife isn’t about starting over—but finally doing the small, sustainable things you've been avoiding?

In this episode, host Laurie Reynoldson talks with Renee Bellinger, a certified nutrition and health mindset coach with a background in counseling psychology. Renee is on a mission to help high-achieving midlife women get out of the all-or-nothing trap and finally build th...

Have you been wondering…Is this a midlife crisis?

Nope. It’s not. Not even close.

In this episode, Laurie Reynoldson is blowing up the outdated narrative that midlife has to be a downward spiral. If you've found yourself waking up, feeling like something’s off—or like the life you’ve built doesn’t quite fit anymore—it’s not a crisis. It’s a damn awakening.

We're diving deep into what’s actually going on for high-achieving mi...

Search terms: midlife retreat, post-retreat integration, women’s retreats, midlife transformation, personal growth for women 40+, retreat aftercare, School of Midlife podcast

Episode Summary:

Coming home from retreat is magical… and also really tricky. You’ve just spent days immersed in clarity, deep conversation, and the energy of other women doing the same work. And then? Real life comes rushing back—laundry, emails, carpools, dead...

In this episode:
midlife podcast for women, people pleasing in midlife, midlife empowerment, stop asking for permission, confidence after 40, personal growth for high-achieving women, School of Midlife podcast, Laurie’s midlife journey

Episode Summary:

In this week’s firecracker of an episode, Laurie gets real about a midlife realization that changes everything: you don’t need anyone’s permission to live your best life. Not your...

In This Episode:

Midlife mindset, midlife transformation, high-achieving women, midlife identity shift, trusting yourself, bold moves in midlife, intuitive decisions, permission to change, midlife clarity, living your best life

Show Notes:
You don’t need to burn your life to the ground to build something that finally feels like you. You just need to stop waiting for permission.

In this powerful conversation, Laurie sits down with...

You know that feeling when you should be celebrating—but instead, you're mentally already onto the next thing?

You hit a milestone—moved into a new house, crushed a personal challenge, finished a retreat—and instead of basking in your badassery, your brain starts whispering: "Yeah, but what now?" or worse, "That wasn’t enough."

In this solo episode, I (Laurie) invite you into a mindset shift that high-achievi...

In This Episode: midlife women, decision-making coach, overcoming guilt, perfectionism, people-pleasing, bold choices, Jessica Frew

✨ What would your life look like if you stopped living by everyone else’s rules?

In this guest episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie sits down with Jessica Frew—author, speaker, and Bold Decision Coach—on the launch day of her brand-new book, Shove Your Shoulds.

Jessica shares her incredible personal j...

In This Episode: midlife coaching for women, female empowerment, gender bias, professional women, menopause, identity shift

✨ Show Notes:

Ever been called aggressive when you were just being assertive?
 Or a “bitch” when you were just doing your job well?

In this powerful replay episode of The School of Midlife, host Laurie Reynoldson shares why she made the intentional decision to work exclusively with women—and why creating a “N...

In This Episode: procrastination coach, clutter in midlife, anxiety, nervous system regulation, midlife women, productivity tips

✨ Show Notes:

What if your procrastination isn’t about laziness at all—but about overwhelm, anxiety, and old habits?

In this week’s special guest episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie sits down with Dr. Christine Li, New York-based clinical psychologist, productivity expert, and host of the Make Time for ...

In This Episode: midlife coaching, women over 40, Best Life Retreat, personal growth, identity shift, inspiration

✨ Show Notes:

We're back—with boxes, big feelings, and big updates.

In this casual catch-up episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie Reynoldson shares a behind-the-scenes look at what’s been going on: selling a house, moving into a new one, and navigating midlife transitions with as much grace (and humor) as possible.

...

In this episode:
midlife changes, major life transition, starting over at 40, career change in midlife, relationship shift, rediscovering self, big life decisions

Episode Summary:

Sometimes the biggest changes in life don’t look like breakdowns—they look like breakthroughs in disguise.

In this replay episode, I’m sharing the messy, honest, and deeply human side of navigating big change in midlife. Whether it’s a new career, a rel...

In this episode:
midlife burnout, high achievers, success trap, midlife coaching, feeling unfulfilled, chasing success, overachiever exhaustion, redefining success in midlife

Episode Summary:

Do you ever feel like no matter how much you achieve, it’s never quite enough? Like you’ve ticked every box, reached every goal, done all the things “right”… and still find yourself wondering why it doesn’t feel better?

In this replay episod...

 Forget “New Year, New Me.” In this episode of The School of Midlife podcast, Laurie makes the case for why August (or early September) is actually the best time to reset your habits, routines, and priorities—way better than January’s cold, dark, post-holiday slump. She unpacks the natural cycles of rest, planting, growth, pruning, and harvest, and shows you how to use this season’s momentum to reflect, realign, and make intentiona...

This week, I'm sharing one of the most-loved episodes of the School of Midlife Podcast—because it’s just that important. And, because life is lifing (hello, packing chaos and writing deadlines), I’m walking my talk and letting this replay stand in its power.

We’re diving into the concept of Adult Dreams—and why so many of us in midlife wake up realizing we’ve been living the life our fifth-grade self dreamed up. Or worse, the o...

In This Episode: midlife burnout, high-achieving women, self-worth, chasing success, how to feel fulfilled, midlife contentment

Episode Summary

You know that feeling after you’ve finished something big—landed the promotion, crossed the finish line, or completed a huge goal—and almost instantly your brain goes: “What’s next?”

For decades, that was Laurie Reynoldson’s default. Achieve something. Celebrate for a hot minute. Then immediat...

In This Episode:

midlife podcast, midlife transformation, women over 40, endurance events, personal growth, 29029 trail, everesting challenge, finding purpose in midlife, grief and growth, self-discovery journey

🎙️ Show Notes:

What happens when you voluntarily climb the equivalent of three mountain marathons in three days? You cry, curse, question your life choices… and maybe, just maybe, find out what you’re really made of.

In this e...