Today’s guest is Jackie Parsons, co-owner of Hedonistic Hiking. With an extensive background as a tour guide since 1992, Jackie and her husband Mick founded Hedonistic Hiking in 2007. Their passion for combining gastronomic delights with invigorating hikes has resulted in unforgettable, all-inclusive tours in Italy and beyond.

Jackie's journey from studying languages and leading tours in Europe to specializing in walking tours in Italy since 2000 is truly inspiring. Her involvement in a Raleigh International expedition to Chile fueled her enthusiasm for exploration and understanding diverse cultures.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How she started her business Hedonistic Hiking that was rooted in her passion and extensive experience as a tour guide.
• The challenges she faced while establishing and running her business with her husband
• Incorporating her values and philosophy to their tours
• The importance of cultural immersion in the overall experience that traveling on your own...

Today's episode is a personal dive into my journey of transformation towards a healthier and more vibrant life. I’m sharing this valuable information because, as I approach my 65th birthday, I feel better than I have in a loooong time. From nutritional shifts to detoxification strategies and lifestyle adjustments, I'll be sharing the impactful changes that I’ve adopted over the past year.

In this episode I talk about:

• Embarking on a health journey that started with a significant nutritional change that I learned from a cancer survivor.
• The recommended supplements that have influenced my improved health and how they contribute to cellular health, inflammation reduction, and immune support.
• The invisible toxins that invade every part of our lives and the ones I’ve chosen to eliminate from mine. 
• A simple detoxification strategy that improves lymphatic drainage and balance, while also increasing bone density in as little as 10 minutes a day.

As I enter my...

In today’s episode, I'm thrilled to have a returning guest, Renee Langmuir. After I first interviewed her, we decided we had more to talk about so I invited her back for a great topic: parenting adult children! I have a strong suspicion this our conversation will resonate deeply with many who are navigating rocky relationships with their children who are now grown.

Renee, a mother of a daughter and a son, shares her insights from her experiences and includes compelling research that sheds light on the complexities that arise when our children enter adulthood. 

What makes this episode particularly valuable is the diversity in her and my life as young mothers raising children, showcasing the truth that we are all unique with different experiences and backgrounds and how important it is to remember that is true for our children too. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• The trauma she experienced and how it affected her children in its aftermath.
• Her determined desire to...

Today’s guest is Janet Gourand, the founder of Tribe Sober, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals in overcoming alcohol dependence. Janet shares her personal journey through alcoholism and explores the importance of breaking the cycle of dependency.

Our conversation delves into the impact of alcohol on health, relationships, and overall well-being, shedding light on the challenges faced by those struggling with alcohol-related issues. Janet shares her candid and relatable perspectives on the challenges associated with alcohol consumption. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Personal experiences relating to alcohol that affected both Janet’s and Laurie’s lives.
• The health implications of alcohol consumption.
• The profound influence of alcohol on family dynamics and coping mechanisms related to body image and weight.
• Suggestions for people dealing with alcohol problems, whether their own or loved ones.

Janet offers valuable advice on recognizing...

Today I want to talk about my hottest tip for success on your 2024 resolutions and it's based on my personal experiences with setting and achieving goals.

There is ONE SURE THING I've found to be the magical component that helps me stay focused and guarantees I'll achieve a goal. I have proof of this in hitting two big goals I set that I share in this episode.

But in both instances, I didn't just achieve the goal I had set, I KILLED IT! I had more success than I thought possible and found myself accomplishing tasks and getting results I didn't know I was capable of.

I break this conversation into two parts, first talking about the tip and the 3 reasons why, if you don't apply it, you'll likely give up on the pursuit of your resolutions, and then I share how I'm using it for one of my big 2024 resolutions and how this resolution may involve you.

Can you believe it’s already the start of 2024? This marks 4 fantastic years of weekly conversations I've had with incredibly inspiring people who are proof that our second half can be so much more rewarding than our first if we simply listen to our heart and share our wisdom from our lived experiences.

I’m beyond thrilled and grateful to embark on another trip around the sun with you and to kick it off, I’m diving deep into the concept of New Year's resolutions — and why I got bothered enough by a couple of social media posts I saw that I wanted to share my thoughts with you. 

Let’s set the record straight: Resolutions aren’t merely wishful thinking; they’re about setting purposeful goals and crafting actionable plans. I want to challenge the negative bias around resolutions by breaking down the key components necessary for effective goal-setting. We’ll talk specificity, the importance of tracking progress, and the magic of...

In today's episode I share the mantra I've decided to adopt for 2024. It's what I believe every Type A (aka "Busy Doer") needs to repeat daily to shift out of the ever-growing, mindless, and often unfulfilling, tasks to a shorter, more passion-based To Do list. But it's a mantra that isn't only for Type As because if you lived by it, you would be a happier human. 

You may be wondering why I came up with a mantra vs. a word and I explain this in the episode, but in a nutshell, it was a download from the universe that I believe was sent because I had fallen into my old, bad, Type A habits.

My habit of "busy doing" resulted in less sleep, reduced exercise, unhealthy choices, disconnected relationships, heightened stress, and a perpetual feeling of not having enough time. If you're someone who tends to overwork, I'm sure you can relate and you really need to listen to this episode and take time to do the exercise I share in it!

In this episode I also talk about 3 key areas to...

Today’s guest is Jane Kennard, a Canadian-born, certified anxiety coach. Jane's pivot from a 20-year teaching career at the undergraduate level and 15 years in pastoral ministry to anxiety coaching after retirement and is truly inspiring.

Jane shares her personal experiences with anxiety, which served as the catalyst for her vocational shift. She reflects how her own struggles and the modeling of this behavior by her mom led her this late-in-life interest to help others grappling with anxiety, overwhelm, and worry. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• How she ended up coaching in the specific niche of anxiety and how her lived experience has led her here.
• Her lack of awareness about how anxiety was affecting her life, until she retired and had time to reflect.
• The three important steps in navigating through and overcoming anxious thoughts.
• Discovering new purpose and fulfillment post-retirement

Her story resonates with those navigating similar paths, shedding light on the...

In today’s episode, I talk about a recent experience where a close friend of mine had to back out of a long-awaited trip we were going on. To be blunt, it sucked, and I was pissed at missing out on what was supposed to be an amazing girls weekend. 

But guess what?!

The weekend happened anyway, even though it went down a bit differently than I had imagined. And shockingly, to my previously extremely disappointed mindset, I ended up having a wonderful time! So I’m sharing my experience in grappling with this huge disappointment and how I navigated through it because I certainly handled it way differently than I would have just a few short years ago.

In this episode I share:

• My recent experience of having my bestie back out of a trip about 36 hours before we were supposed to leave.
• My 5 most valuable tips for handling your feelings when a plan doesn’t go the way you wanted it to.
• A situation with this same friend that happened over 41 years ago and had a very...

In this episode, I interview Renee (pronounced like Ree-nie) Langmuir, a seasoned educator of 34 years who unexpectedly found herself transitioning into retirement after not just one but two successful careers. Then one day, her working life abruptly ended and Renee chronicled that experience and her adjustment as a “rookie retiree” in a series of personal essays.

Renee reflects on her unique perspective, derived from a blend of researched insights and mindful introspection, provides invaluable wisdom for anyone facing unexpected transitions.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How her sudden retirement happened and the tactics she used to navigate this new phase of life.
• The role of personal essays in her retirement journey and how they were a vital tool for introspection and gaining new perspective.
• Her invaluable tip about the first thing you should do when you retire and how it’s impossible to do when you are still working.
• Her sadness but acceptance at knowing...