Talk to Kim

This episode features Sarah Bechard, a former speech therapist turned personal stylist, sharing her journey of overcoming fears, building confidence, and embracing her authentic self through style. Her insights highlight the importance of self-acceptance, faith, and intentional living for women in midlife.

In this episode:

• Sarah’s inspiring story of facing her fear of flying and how courage is a continuous process.
• The connection between faith, self-worth, and confidence, especially during midlife.
• Practical tips for styling women over 40, including understanding body shape, color analysis, and wardrobe decluttering.
• The power of truth and faith-based identity in fostering self-acceptance.
• How to use style as a tool for confidence and self-expression.
• Embracing aging gracefully and focusing on inner wisdom along with external appearance.
• The importance of seeking connection and personalized guidance over social media for meaningful change.

Connect with Sarah:

• Purposely Fashioned – Sarah’s website

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

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Talk to Kim

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, Kim sits down with Jenna Udenberg—accessibility educator, nonprofit founder, author, and lifelong advocate—to explore what it truly means to navigate life, identity, and purpose in midlife while living with a disability.

Jenna shares her powerful story of being diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at age seven, transitioning into life in a wheelchair, and ultimately transforming personal challenges into a mission-driven life of advocacy and education.

From losing her long-time teaching career during COVID to building a nonprofit that’s changing conversations around accessibility, Jenna’s journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and courage.

Key Takeaways

• Midlife is not an ending—it’s a powerful pivot point.
• Accessibility benefits everyone.
• Advocacy starts with awareness.
• There is strength in using your voice.

Jenna Udenberg is an accessibility educator, speaker, and founder of the nonprofit Above & Beyond With U, where she works with organizations, businesses, and communities to create more inclusive environments.

She is also the author of her memoir Within My Spokes and a columnist sharing her perspective as a woman living fully and boldly with disability.

You can connect with Jenna through her website aboveandbeyondwithu.org or on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

This week, Kim talks with Tina Coleman—author, speaker, and reinvention guide—about moving from Iowa to Mexico, getting sober after deep loss, and using solo travel as a catalyst for healing and courage.

Tina shares how writing her book, “50 Fabulous and F-able,” grew from her fear of turning 50 into a roadmap for midlife reinvention, covering confidence, practical planning (wills/life insurance), menopause support, and self-care.

She explains why women shouldn’t wait for others to travel, how small steps build bravery, and her vision for international sanctuaries where midlife women can feel safe, supported, and empowered.

You can learn more about Tina on her WEBSITE.

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

Kim welcomes Dr. Sue McCreadie to Midlife with Courage™ to talk about the wild ride of midlife, shifting hormones, and redefining health as balance.

Dr. Sue shares how she became a pediatrician, her early exposure to alternative medicine, and how she evolved her practice toward integrative approaches like cranial sacral therapy and nutritional medicine.

She reflects on the courage it took to keep pursuing motherhood through multiple miscarriages, how discovering a methylation issue became a gift she later used to help thousands of kids, and why authenticity matters more than ever in midlife.

Dr. Sue explains her coaching approach blending science-backed tools with “soul” work, including tarot and numerology to access the subconscious, and describes her group membership, one-on-one coaching, and Substack writing. She closes with the grounding question: “What would love do?”

00:00 Welcome to Midlife
00:15 Meet Dr Sue
00:58 Menopause Teeter Totter
02:11 Why Pediatrics
04:38 Discovering Holistic Care
06:53 Integrating Into Practice
09:55 Coaching Midlife Patterns
11:00 Courage Through Miscarriage
13:35 Daily Am Statement
15:04 Authenticity and Inner Child
18:16 Body Truths in Connection
19:25 Science Meets Soul Coaching
20:53 Tarot as Subconscious Mirror
22:37 Numerology and Seasonal Flow
23:41 Group Readings and Shared Insight
26:08 Messy Beautiful Midlife
28:57 Flex and Flow Forward
30:03 Work With Dr Sue
33:56 Midlife Personality Quiz
36:48 What Would Love Do
39:25 Closing Thanks and Farewell

If you would like to find out which kind of "mama" you are, go to Dr. Sue's website HERE. You'll find everything you need to know about her work and offerings.

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

This week on Midlife with Courage™, Kim talks with research professor and Partner Lab founder Merideth Thompson about midlife courage, including ending a 22-year marriage, dating again at 43, and using relationship science to make smart decisions.

They discuss “slow dating,” why waiting for permission or perfect confidence costs time and self-trust, and why fulfillment after 40 is about reclaiming and integrating who you are (including grieving who you couldn’t be earlier).

Merideth shares her data-driven approach to dating, the value of accountability and emotional safety, and how Partner Lab tools—like a stay-or-go assessment and the Clarity 360—help people get out of relationship limbo and find clarity.

- Midlife courage: divorce, dating, confidence
- Slow dating and the 90-day trust insight
- Reclaiming yourself through integration (not reinvention)
- Partner Lab tools for relationship clarity and next steps

00:00 Welcome to Midlife
00:16 Meet Merideth Thompson
01:29 Divorce as Courage
02:26 Dating Again at 43
03:54 Slow Dating Rules
06:53 Research Mindset on Apps
09:06 The Non Negotiables List
12:48 Midlife Wisdom and Hormones
15:38 Stop Postponing Your Life
17:32 Letting Go of Others
17:50 The Hidden Cost of Waiting
18:05 Fear Setting and Missed Chances
19:24 Legacy Fears in Midlife
20:01 Baby Steps Not Failure
20:43 Reclaiming Not Reinventing
21:04 Integration and Inner Child
22:30 Grieving Who You Shelved
23:33 Partner Lab Relationship Science
25:35 Stay or Go Tool Explained
27:54 Validation and Regret Insurance
29:47 Who Partner Lab Helps
31:34 Where to Find Partner Lab
32:01 Final Message and Farewell

Find out more at My Partner Lab.

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

Discover how deep inner work, emotional capacity, and nervous system healing can lead to lasting transformation. Christine Ruch shares her inspiring journey from health crises to profound self-trust and holistic healing.

Listen to learn:

• How childhood chronic illness and MS prompted Christine to explore holistic health approaches
• The importance of listening to your body and trusting its signals
• The role of emotional capacity in physical health and nervous system regulation
• The difference between temporary change and permanent transformation
• Practical steps to start healing from within by building safety and trust
• How to navigate midlife shifts by reconnecting with your authentic self
• The significance of surrender in life
• Resources for further learning and support

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: Embracing inner healing and transformation in midlife
02:02 - Christine's background: From childhood illness to MS and holistic healing journey
05:12 - The power of natural remedies and food as medicine
08:23 - How diet influenced Christine's MS diagnosis and recovery
11:12 - Recognizing internal dissatisfaction behind external success
13:59 - The moment of surrender: trusting the universe's guidance
15:18 - Navigating the aftermath: closing business and rebuilding life
17:20 - Meeting healers in Costa Rica and learning about nervous system healing
19:16 - Emotional capacity as a gateway to physical health
22:11 - The dangers of control and rigidity in healing efforts
24:25 - The difference between temporary fixes and lasting transformation
26:02 - How inner space allows for true healing and growth
28:22 - The holistic approach: integrating mind, body, and spirit
31:03 - Developing safety within and trusting your own emotional landscape
33:52 - Listening to your body's signals instead of external influences
36:42 - How to connect with Christine and explore personalized mentorship opportunities

Resources & Links:

Christine Ruch - Website

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

I am so excited to share this new opportunity to connect on a deeper level with you.

Take a listen and get ready to go unfiltered with me!

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...

Talk to Kim

In this week's Midlife with Courage Podcast™ Kim talks with Angela Burk, a retired B2B marketer who wrote Real Girls Guide to Midlife after finding a 20-year-old “red folder” of questions. They discuss divorce, grief, perimenopause rage, self-publishing, “together living apart,” and saying no.

- Midlife change, courage, and messy “middle” journeys
- Menopause symptoms, identity shifts, and reclaiming pleasure
- Practical mindset reset: let go of one thing, reclaim one thing; “I’m not available”

00:00 Feeling Alone in Midlife (and the Missing ‘Messy Middle’)
00:34 Podcast Intro: Midlife With Courage + What to Expect
00:52 Meet Angela Burk: Career, Family, and the Book That Came Back
03:23 Courage Moment #1: Ending a Marriage and Choosing Happiness
04:47 Courage Moment #2: Retiring, Finding the Folder, and Writing the Book
06:03 Stop Overplanning: Trust Yourself and Just Start
06:46 Why Women Put Everyone Else First (and How to Unlearn It)
09:11 Midlife Overload: Hormones, Kids, Parents, Career—All at Once
10:36 Reclaiming Yourself After Divorce + Menopause Run-Up in Your 40s
13:56 Strength, Grief, and Letting Go of Shame Around Change
17:10 Why Angela Wrote the ‘Real Girl’ Midlife Guide (Not a Celebrity Story)
19:04 Perimenopause Rage: When It Hits and Why It’s So Scary
21:40 The ‘Wave Three’ Surprise: Symptoms After Your Period Stops
22:45 Letters to Her Boys: Repair, Memory, and Self-Forgiveness
23:38 A Fiancé in Australia: Making Long-Distance Love Work
25:08 ‘Together Living Apart’: Rethinking Midlife Relationships
28:11 Pleasure, Sex, and Being a ‘Whole Person’ in Midlife
31:15 Where to Get the Book + The Manifesto: Let Go & Reclaim
33:14 Practice Saying No: ‘I’m Not Available’ (Final Takeaways & Goodbye)

You can read Angela's blog and buy her book on her WEBSITE.

Support the show

Kim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.

****************************************************

Are you a midlife woman who feels stuck? Are you missing something but don't know what?

I can help!

Grab this Finding Your Passion Mini-Course today to find simple steps toward your amazing midlife!

****************************************************

If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It’s a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.

Midlife with Courage™ Community

*****************************************************

Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here:

Podmatch Link


NEWSLETTER

...