What do you do when everything in the life you knew changes unexpectedly?

In this episode of Message in the Middle, I’m joined by Jo Rye, founder of Clarity & Courage, executive coach, and author, who shares what it really looked like to rebuild her life after surviving a brain hemorrhage just days after losing her grandmother.

This isn’t a story about reinvention. It’s about starting from a place you never expected to be. Not knowing who you are anymore, and figuring it out slowly, in real time.

After years of working inside global organizations helping others grow and lead with clarity, Jo suddenly found herself in a position where the only way forward was to focus on the smallest possible steps; Sometimes that meant just getting through the day.

During her recovery, she began writing a novel inspired by a story passed down from her grandmother. What started as a small, daily practice became something much more, a way to stay connected, to process, and to hold onto something steady when everything else felt uncertain.

If you’ve ever felt like the life you knew no longer fits, or you’re navigating a season where things feel unfamiliar or unclear, this episode offers an honest, grounded perspective on what it means to move forward.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• What it feels like when life changes suddenly and unexpectedly
• Rebuilding your identity after illness, loss, or major disruption
• Why small steps matter more than big plans during recovery
• Letting go of the version of yourself you once relied on
• How to create a sense of forward movement when everything feels uncertain
• The role of storytelling and creativity in healing
• Finding clarity and courage without forcing change

You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward. Sometimes the next step is small, sometimes it’s unclear, but even in the middle of uncertainty, there is a way through, one choice, one moment at a time.

Connect with Jo:

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• Website

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
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• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

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In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with Toni LaMotta to explore what happens when we lose trust in our own inner voice and how we begin finding it again.

After spending sixteen years living under a vow of obedience as a Catholic nun, Toni gained a deep understanding of authority, surrender, and the subtle ways our voices can fade into the background. Today, she is a highly regarded spiritual coach, teacher, and internationally acclaimed speaker who has helped hundreds reclaim trust in themselves and make aligned decisions with confidence.

Drawing on decades of experience and training in multiple evidence-based methodologies, Toni shares her six-pillar system for moving from fear-driven decision making to internal navigation. Together, Marianne and Toni talk about how to distinguish true inner guidance from fear or conditioning, why our past patterns are not mistakes but valuable information for the next chapter, and how to reconnect with the inner compass so many women lose touch with along the way.

This is a thoughtful, hopeful conversation for any woman in midlife who feels called toward something more, but isn’t sure how to listen to herself again.

Connect with Toni: https://tonilamotta.com

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
• Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave Us a Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaway. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and bring you even more valuable content.

Keep the conversation going - Join us for more insightful conversations in the Message in the Middle Private Facebook Community & subscribe to Message in the Middle podcas...

For many women in midlife, reinvention feels like something that should happen at the beginning of a new year, after a major life change, or once everything finally settles down. But what if the truth is simpler and harder at the same time? What if reinvention begins with one decision?

In this episode of Message in the Middle, Marianne sits down with entrepreneur, executive coach, and author Adriana L. Cowdin to talk about resilience, identity, and the courage it takes to begin again.

Adriana has built and sold a seven figure marketing agency, led Fortune 500 and billion dollar organizations at the C-suite level, and coached thousands of executives around the world. She has been featured in Forbes, ABC News, Fox Business, and The New York Times.

But her story is not just about professional success.

While building companies and leading teams, Adriana was also navigating life with more than thirty chronic illnesses including pancreatic disease, lupus, and Addison’s disease. Experiences that forced her to rethink strength, redefine leadership, and confront the deeper question so many women face in midlife.

Who am I really living this life for?

In this conversation, Adriana shares why resilience is not something you’re born with. It’s a decision you make. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes imperfectly. Often when no one else can see it.

Together, Marianne and Adriana explore what it means to reclaim your energy, challenge the expectations you’ve been living under, and give yourself permission to begin again. Not when the timing is perfect. Right now.

Connect with Adriana:

• Website: www.adrianacowdin.com
• Amazon Book Page: https://a.co/d/39IEPVg
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/adrianalcowdin/
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/adriana.cowdin.2025
• LI: linkedin.com/in/adrianacowdin/

Connect with Marianne:

• Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
• Message In the Middle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/422430469323847/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MessageInTheMiddle/playlists
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
• Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne

Subscribe to Message In the Middle:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Leave Us a Review: If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review and share your favorite takeaway. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and bring you even more valuable content.

Keep the conversation going - Join us for more insightful conversations in the Message in the Middle Private Facebook Community & subscribe to Message in the Middle podcas...