My first ever podcast! Recorded on a half-rain, half-sun day in Kneeland, with the wood stove going and a cold coming on... so you’ll hear a few pauses. I left them in.
I’m fine. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. I’ve said some version of it most of my life — at the market, to the people in the ER waiting room after they found a blood clot in my leg, to my partner after he got my text and was upset. It just pops right out of my mouth.
In this episode I talk about what nobody mentions about midlife. We hear plenty about protein, hormones, and strong bones, and almost nothing about the women who’ve kept everyone fed, soothed, and comfortable for decades and can’t answer the question, what do you really want?
I also get into where “I’m fine” came from for me: the party dresses and handshakes of my childhood, my grandmother and my mother, and a much older truth. For a long time, keeping other people happy was how a woman stayed safe. It was never their fault. And seeing the pattern doesn’t make it disappear overnight... that’s been a slow unwinding for me, with a lot more compassion than I used to give myself, (I write more about it in my book, Unabandoned.)
Let’s talk about it together
If any of this sounds familiar, come spend 90 minutes with me on Tuesday, November 10, at 4:00 pm Pacific / 7:00 pm Eastern. I’m hosting a free workshop, Stop Putting Yourself Last - for women ready to put themselves back on the list.
I’m looking forward to this virtual gathering! It’s free but you do need to register and you can do that right here.
Already registered? Awesome! Don’t forget to add it to your calendar before someone else asks you for that time.
Episode 2 is coming in a day or two: what I tried, and the messy path.
What’s your version of “I’m fine”? If you’re reading this in your inbox, just hit reply. It comes straight to me, and I read every one. Or leave a comment below if you’d like to share it with the group.
