The April Good Batch
Midlife is a mushy, gushy, mystifying stew, and I'm so glad we're simmering in the pot together
Welcome to the Good Batch!
Each month, I gather up the best conversations with women over 40 doing remarkable things, the ideas fueling our courage, and what I can’t get enough of right now.
In the Mirror
As usual, the rich life, the one I get to enjoy at 51 because I spent the last decades layering it with tastes and textures, and filled it with an ooey-gooey center, was marked with highs and lows and learnings.
I got to learn first-hand what everyone is talking about when they hit the first anniversary of losing someone they love.
My daughter picked a college, and now every day moves us a little closer to reimagining our family unit. I cry about it pretty much daily, while also seeing how ready she is and knowing that someday we will be too.
I sat on panels alongside doctors talking about how midlife women think about their bodies, while being, honestly, a little unclear on how I think about mine. But I’m getting clearer. Turns out, writing about it HERE and HERE helped spark the conversations I needed to have (with myself and others) to get a little clearer.
And several of my speaking clients made their debuts this month. Two took the TEDxAsbury Park stage. Watching midlife women find and share their wisdom and experience is something I never get tired of. If you have something to say and want help shaping your story, reach out.
Looking ahead, I'm spending most of May inside companies that are marking Mental Health Awareness Month by bringing me in to teach their teams about invisible loads, the stress and worry, and responsibilities we carry but rarely name. If that sounds like something your organization needs, let's talk.
In Person: Uplifters @TTH Vintage
Shopping, sangria, and socializing! If these are three of your favorite things, this one’s for you. Come hang with us.
TTH Shopping & Sangria Evening — May 28, 6–8 PM in Manhattan. Free, but spots are limited, so grab yours if you’re interested in an evening with women who believe in lifting and being lifted. Shopping at TTH Vintage directly benefits Hearts of Gold, a New York City nonprofit that has been supporting mothers and children experiencing homelessness for over 30 years.
Can’t make it? You can still support Hearts of Gold at heartsofgold.org.
On the Pod
April was all about new beginnings.
Ally Bogard — a transformation teacher and somatic guide who helps us finally confront all the sh*t we’ve been avoiding. She was nominated by the incomparable Elena Brower. Listen here.
Blair Glaser — a memoirist, organizational consultant, and psychotherapist, joined the pod to talk about her years inside Siddha Yoga, a near-cult experience that cracked her open and ultimately led her to a deeper understanding of who she is. It’s a conversation about the stories we tell ourselves, the ones we’re afraid to tell anyone else, and what happens when we finally do. Listen here.
Sadie Dingfelder — science journalist and author of Do I Know You?: A Faceblind Reporter’s Journey into the Science of Sight, Memory, and Imagination, shared her extraordinary midlife experience. One of the most fascinating and talked-about conversations we’ve had on the show. Listen here.
And we closed out April the best way we know how: live. A discussion on funding the futures we want with legendary VCs Lorine Pendleton and Katie Cella, in conversation with Whipnotic founder Tracy Luckow, at Uplifters Live. Listen here.
May is for mothers, money, and menopause.
This month’s stories: four very different takes on motherhood from Ruthie Ackerman, Katie Horwitch, Sarah Gormley, and Shayla Martin.
Dr. Kimberly Derezil, MD, a doctor and certified wealth manager, discusses how to avoid massive financial losses during menopause.
Women’s health advocate Rebecca Bloom on what happens when women get sick.
And Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson and Christy Kercheville on finding renewed purpose in the wake of cancer.
In the World: Uplifter Updates
Hala Alyan, from episode 133, is a finalist for this year’s Pulitzer Prize in Memoir.
Dr. Kimberly Derezil is the only MD and certified wealth manager focused specifically on menopause cost reduction, and she’s launching her first small-group working sessions to help you actually tackle those costs. Only 10 spots. Register here.
Katie Cella, who joined us at Uplifters Live to talk about funding our dreams, shares that nearly 10 women have made their first-ever startup investments through her recent AI deals. One is already tracking toward a 3x return in under a year.
Corinne and Edwina, the team behind I Got You, have secured fiscal sponsorship with the IDA, making donations to the film tax-deductible. They also have an editor and an incredible team of women, all working to bring this project to life.
Dr. Helen Krug von Nidda is releasing Closing the Fulfillment Gap: How to Design the Work Life You Want on September 15 and it's available HERE for pre-order now. If you're feeling stuck, unsure of your next step, or just ready for a boost in purpose, this book was written for you.
Alison Relyea launched her Substack, Mixtapes and Cover Stories, and her piece, about discovering Florence + the Machine at fifty and what it means to be a woman who keeps finding new music, is the kind of writing that makes you want to sit still and read slowly. Go give her a follow.
Denise Pines, from episode 32, was once again named to the Global 100 Trailblazing Leaders in Menopause. Exciting times ahead as she advances this women’s health challenge with legislative policy.
How about you? What are you making, dreaming of making, or cultivating the courage to make this month? We’re all freaking terrified, so let’s go do some big, brave shit this month anyway.
Happy Mother’s Day. Whatever that means for you in this moment, I hope this day affords you some time to do whatever you love doing with the people you love.
Aransas
Thank you, Aransas! Now I know what I can do with my quiet time on Mother’s Day…read and learn about all the amazing women in this newsletter! You are shaping the world for women by connecting us to each other and ourselves.