My guest in this episode of Midlife Schmidlife is New York Times and USA Today's best-selling author, Jane Porter. She's written over 70 romances and women's fiction novels has had 3 of her books turned into Movies of the Week, started a publishing company at forty-in to give writers more opportunities, and now at 58 works placing Tule Publishing stories with film producers.

In our conversation, some highlights we spoke about:

• Jane shares her journey of becoming a writer, including the many times she could have given up but didn't.

• How menopause affected her creativity.

• The shift she made in her career in her 40s and why.

• How women should be supporting one another.

• Her take on being happy (hint - you have to choose it!)

Jane believes you're never too old to reinvent yourself or create the life you want. I know you will love our conversation!

You can learn more about Jane, her books and her publishing company at: JanePorter.com.

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I feel quite jealous whenever I hear tales of women striking out on their own and having incredible solo travel adventures. I wonder who I would be without the thoughts of not being courageous enough or hurting someone else's feelings for a desire to travel alone. 

Today's guest encourages other women to embark on their solo travel journeys. Yolanda DeLoach finds empowerment and peace in solo travel, camping, and hiking. Her schedule as a hospice/palliative care nurse enables her to have long stretches off to pursue travel and hiking. 

In the spring of 2021, she became a Thousand Miler after spending a year section hiking the nearly 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin. On long road trips, she enjoys sleeping in her truck, Fiona, and searching for free places to camp. One of her all-time favorite places is Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, where she has done solo backpacking. The solo travel experience is exhilarating and offers great capacity for personal growth. She encourages women who want more solo experiences to start in a comfortable place: a walk in a local park, a day trip to a neighboring town, or camping at a familiar campground. Currently, Yolanda is writing a memoir about reclaiming her spirit while section hiking the Ice Age Trail.

She shares her advice to women in midlife: "Don't be afraid to try things solo. The most common response women say when they hear about my solo adventures is, "I wish I could do something like that!" You can! Take small steps."

You can connect with Yolanda on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/autumnyearshiker

And Instagram: 

https://www.Instagram.com/autumnyearshiker

Yolanda's Bonnie & Clyde story that is mentioned in this episode can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/autumnyearshiker/posts/pfbid03HoCzfSDpr94K9ED9eh3FWCdEKu72m7KUVhyGgeJkBy7f8MEd8kezeS3BKbqBD8dl

Yolanda is one of my few guests who is not an entrepreneur. And I love her spirit and courage for wanting to be on the podcast! I'd also love to hear YOUR story and share it with the Midlife Schmidlife listeners. So head to https://www.midlifeschmidlife.com/guest, and let's get you on the show!

Thanks to Goli Nutrition for asking me to be a partner! You can save 10% on your order by clicking through https://go.goli.com/lizapplegate
or using promo code: LizApplegate

Ready to reclaim the meaning of fitness in midlife?

Let me intorduce you to Cheryl Whitelaw a Move More Without Regrets coach, teacher, and CEO of Peace and Power Movement Services. She supports her clients to learn through their movement through body-based coaching, Mindful Movement classes, and hands-on work to support the functional activity. Her clients share a desire to live with vitality, keep going as they age, and often recover from life-changing conditions like MS, Fibromyalgia, or brain injuries. She found true joy in movement when she started training aikido at age 46. Currently, she is preparing for her black belt test.

We have a deep and meaningful convo about fitness in midlife, war, social injustice, power and peace in this impactful episode.

You can find out more about Cheryl and free monthly online workshops at https://www.kindpower.ca/awareness-through-movement-classes/

Cheryl is also offering 5 free online discovery sessions for Midlife Schmidlife listeners to help them learn how to move more efficiently with less stiffness or discomfort. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16538138&appointmentType=29112047