Design Your Joyful Retirement

Estate planning is one of those things many of us keep meaning to get around to. In this episode, attorney Michelle Birschbach joins me for a practical conversation about what Gen X women need to know, why a will may not be enough, and how a few key documents can protect both you and the people you love.


We also talk about healthcare decisions, probate, adult children, and the common assumptions many families make about what happens in an emergency.


 
This conversation is approachable, informative, and a good reminder that you don't need a perfect plan ~ you just need to start.


In this episode:


Why estate planning is about more than death
Why a will may not avoid probate
Important documents many families overlook
What parents of adult children need to know
How to get started without overwhelm


To contact Michelle or attorneys at her firm:
SB Law Website
Facebook
Additional resources:
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)

What does it look like to begin again when the life you knew no longer fits?


In this episode, I'm talking with attorney, author, and speaker Maria Leonard Olsen about starting over, trying new things, and discovering who you are in a new season of life.


After navigating divorce, recovery, an empty nest, and living alone for the first time, Maria found herself at 50 wondering: What comes next?


Instead of waiting until she had the answer, she got curious. Maria challenged herself to try 50 new things ~ and along the way, discovered new interests, new experiences, and a new way of looking at her life.


We talk about:


Why you don't need to have your next chapter figured out
How trying new things can help you rediscover yourself
What Maria learned from her "50 new things" experiment
Letting go of what no longer fits
The difference between being alone and being lonely
Why curiosity can be such a powerful tool during times of change
Giving yourself permission to ask, "What do I want now?"


You don't have to wait for a major life transition to reconsider how you're spending your time or what you want more of.


Sometimes the next chapter doesn't begin with a big plan. It begins with getting curious enough to try something new.
Connect with Maria at:
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
TEDX talks:
Turning Life's Challenges Into a Force for Good
Should you use a DNA test kit?
Book:
50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life

Gen X women are pretty good at figuring things out ourselves.
But when independence becomes our default, asking for help can feel surprisingly hard.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why independence became such a defining Gen X trait
How "I'll figure it out myself" can become a limiting pattern
Why asking for help can feel especially difficult for women
How therapy can give us a place to sort things out without the emotional entanglements of everyday life
Why good friendships matter as we move into this next chapter
Contact Tracy at:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Huffington Post Article ~  The Most Common Issues GenXers Bring Up in Therapy

In this week's Design Your Joyful Retirement episode, I'm talking with Raquel Durden ~ veteran, cancer survivor, yoga teacher, author of Dial Down: Moving from Chaos to Calm, and proud "wellness weaver."


 
Raquel shares a simple but powerful idea: wellness isn't something you escape to someday. It's something you gently weave into your everyday life.


 
We explored how small practices ~ like walking, breathing, journaling, movement, or taking a few quiet minutes for yourself ~ can help you feel more grounded, especially during midlife and retirement transitions.


 
This conversation is a refreshing reminder that calm doesn't arrive when life finally gets easier. It's built in small moments, one choice at a time.


 
🎧 Listen now for an encouraging, practical conversation about creating wellness in ways that actually work for real life.


Connect with Raquel at:
Website
Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga

One of the things I love about midlife is that we start asking different questions.
Do I really want to keep doing this? What would I do if I had more freedom? What might be possible if I stopped doing things simply because they're familiar?
But even when we know we want something to change, that doesn't mean we know exactly what comes next.
In this episode with Alison Lebwohl, we talk about her gradual transition from a 23-year career in state government to building her own consulting business. Rather than having a mapped out plan, her business grew organically, one opportunity at a time.
Maybe there's something you've been thinking about ~ a career change, a new business, a different way of working, more time for yourself, or simply a life that feels more like you.
The next chapter doesn't have to be perfectly planned. It just has to feel true to you.
Connect with Alison on LinkedIn or via email