Wendy Valentine says her mess is her message. Six years ago, at age 45, she had a midlife meltdown. She was in debt, unemployed, going through a divorce, grieving the death of her brother, suffering from anxiety and chronic illness, and emotionally paralyzed. Today, Wendy is financially and emotionally liberated. She’s enjoying her life traveling across the country in an RV, living part-time on the Portuguese island of Madeira, and spreading the message that you can survive the midlife madness and come out the other side better than ever. On today’s epsisode, Wendy and I talk about the techniques she employed to dig herself out of her depression, turn her financial situation around, and create the kind of life she was craving for herself.
We also discuss:
- How Wendy overcame loneliness and learned to fall back in love with herself
- How she let go of most of her material possessions, moving from a 5,000-square-foot house to a 150-square-foot RV
- Why learning how to play again is crucial to aging well
- Why your life’s purpose may not be what you think it is
- The difference between happiness and fulfillment—and why you should be seeking one more than the other
- How you know when something isn’t right for you—and let it go
- (*my personal favorite) Why Wendy leaves her finished journals in airports for strangers to pick up!
Wendy’s message: I did it, so you can too. You can savor life instead of sleepwalking through it. You can become your own best friend and enjoy every drop of this beautiful life. This inspiring conversation is one you don’t want to miss!
About My Guest
Wendy Valentine a speaker, professional certified life coach, midlife influencer, and host of The Midlife Makeover Show. In her group coaching program FREEDOM at Midlife, she teaches the step-by-step process of how she got herself from broke, miserable, and crying on the bathroom floor to debt-free, happy, and enjoying her midlife. Wendy spends her time between the island of Madeira, Portugal, and cruising the U.S.A. in her motorhome. Follow Wendy on Instagram or learn more about her at wendyvalentine.com.
About More Beautiful
Founded by journalist Maryann LoRusso as part of the More Beautiful Project for women over 40, the More Beautiful Podcast is for women who want to rewrite the midlife playbook. Join Maryann and her amazing guests as they strive for a life that’s more adventurous, more fulfilling and more beautiful than ever before. Because this is not your mama’s midlife.
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