Maria Leonard Olsen is a civil litigation lawyer, a journalist, and an author. When she turned 50, she got divorced, got sober, and became an empty nester. For the first time in her life, she was living alone. And for the first time after 15 years as a full-time mom, she had to find a law firm that would hire her.

Many women would have folded under the pressure, the loneliness, the Herculean task of putting a life back together. Not Maria. On the suggestion of a friend, Maria decided to try 50 new things in her 50th year. And some of those things were big, real big. Teaser: She bought a motorcycle with a sidecar for her dog. (All these years later, [Maria is 64], she rides on the back of her partner's motorcycle and experiences the freedom that helped her heal.)

Her two-month stay as a volunteer in the poorest section of Nepal made her realize that it's not the number of things you have, but the friends, family, and shared experiences that make us happy. She began to understand that the life of gratitude is so much more precious than trying to be something she was not. A self-described "people pleaser," Maria set out to work on pleasing and loving herself.

Today, one of Maria's greatest joys is helping others. Her experiences with alcoholism, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and racism have given her first-hand knowledge of the suffering and the joys of healing.

Maria is a woman you'll want to get to know.

https://www.marialeonardolsen.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR3cM9aRjes

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4PPYJW/?bestFormat=true&k=50%20after%2050%20book&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_8_de&crid=1LZ6M942D3A5U&sprefix=50%20after

Join me in this enlightening episode as I sit down with Gina Vild, author of The Two Most Important Days: How to Find Your Purpose and Live a Happier and Healthier Life.

I don't know about you, but I've been in a constant state of fight or flight. It feels as if the United States and the rest of the world are upside down and that there is very little we can do to find joy and awe.

Enter Gina Vild and the wisdom she brings to the table, essential wisdom if we are to survive and thrive.

Gina shares her journey from political activist to communication director, from associate dean at Harvard Medical School, to author.

She talks about how poetry, personal purpose, and setting emotional boundaries can transform your life and find joy and awe in everyday moments. It is these moments and moments that we relive from our past that can change our brain waves and levels of "feel good" chemicals like serotonin.

Tune in to learn how to navigate life's challenges with grace and strength. Habits that help us stay sane in tumultuous times.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-vild-908a648/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/gina-vild

https://www.instagram.com/ginavild/

https://www.facebook.com/gina.vild/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B075FFS7NM?ccs_id=71032ad2-f47c-48f8-8518-35e72e6f4d84

POETRY

William Stafford, "Yes"

https://reflections.yale.edu/article/reformation-writing-next-chapter/poem-yes

William Stafford, "Thread"

https://www.slowmuse.com/2019/06/16/the-thread/

Ilana Landsberg-Lewis

https://www.wizwork.net/sign-up

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanalandsberglewis/

https://ilanalandsberglewis.com/elementor-1000/

Join me as I delve into the world of classical music with Roit Feldenkreis, a trailblazing conductor and consultant.

Discover Roit's journey from a small village in Israel to conducting orchestras worldwide, and how she integrates her musical expertise into corporate leadership.

This episode explores the challenges and triumphs of being a female conductor in a male-dominated field, and the innovative ways Roit is bridging the gap between music and business.

https://roitfeldenkreis.com/bio/

https://roitfeldenkreis.com/press/

Recommended Podcast, "Wisdom At Work"

www.wisdomatworkpodcast.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilanalandsberglewis/

Three of the past guests on "Older Women & Friends" talk about what they've been up to since we last spoke. All three of their stories represent the exciting escapades of older women who continue to smash stereotypes to simitherenes.

Melissa Davey: At age 65, she left the corporate world to follow a dream of becoming a filmmaker. And, boy, her story is one of determination, creativity, and success. Melissa and I first talked back at the end of 2022. She was one of my first guests on "Older Women & Friends." I was impressed then and even more three years later. Melissa's first documentary film, "Beyond Sixty," profiled some extraordinary older women. It is her second film, "Climbing Into Life," that has put her on the map. Dierdre Wolowniick, the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite, is the subject of this documentary. You may know about her son, who is the subject of "Free Solo." He is the first person who climbed "Cap" without any protective equipment. No ropes. Nothing.

In this episode, Melissa chronicles the amazing life of Dierdre, who tries to get closer to her son and to understand his obsession with climbing.

https://melissadavey.com/

https://melissadavey.com/climbing-into-life/

https://melissadavey.com/beyond-60/

Jeanette Leardi - During these stressful times in our country's history, Jeanette is focused on the 2025 mid-term elections. "To me," she says, "that is ground zero. If we get it right, things can turn around." Switching gears, Jeanette cites the happy rise in the emphasis on intergenerational communication. "It is the most important way to defeat ageism." She offers how we can meet younger folks and the kinds of experiences we can share. I also asked Jeanette about her experience with the publication of her book, Aging Sideways: Changing Our Perspectives on Getting Older.

https://www.jeanetteleardi.com/

https://www.jeanetteleardi.com/aging-sideways-book

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-leardi-3978b126/

Lucinda Skykes - Lucinda sets the record for the most frequent guest on "Older Women & Friends." She is a retired physician who has focused her attention and expertise on sleep and women 50+. It is natural to sleep as much as we age, she says. The objective is to use your time to your advantage, either in the middle of the night or early morning. Lucinda details steps any woman (and man) can take to do exactly that. If you've listened to an episode with Lucinda, you know that she is knowledgeable about so many topics, including wisdom and how we can take advantage of all that we've experienced and live happy, fulfilling lives.

https://lucindasykesmd.com/

https://lucindasykesmd.com/my-story/

Dian Griesel, Ph.D., a renowned perception analyst and hypnotherapist, has dedicated her career to understanding how our conscious and unconscious beliefs shape our perceptions and influence every decision we make, both personally and professionally.

The middle of five siblings, Dian grew up doing her best to balance the "uppers" and the "lowers." She tried to be non-disruptive, not to cause any dissention among the ranks. She was the unofficial "peace maker" in the family. And

it was her experience growing up that groomed Dian to be the "quiet, confident advisor" or, as she describes it, "the fly on the wall."

Some of the Key Points of Discussion in this energetic, eye-opening episode:

Objective vs. Subjective Age: While we can't change our chronological age, our mental attitude and actions can significantly influence how young we feel. Dian's personal experiences and professional insights reveal how maintaining an active lifestyle and positive mindset can make a difference.

Biological Age: Utilizing tools like the Tanita Body Fat scale, Dian monitors her biological age, which often reflects a much younger state due to her healthy habits. She shares practical advice on hydration, nutrition, and physical activity.

Fountain of Youth Myths: From historical quests to modern-day fads, Dian offers a grounded perspective on the true keys to longevity and vitality—movement, nutritious eating, and genuine social connections.

Embracing Mortality: Dian discusses her philosophy on aging and death, emphasizing the importance of living fully and purposefully each day, despite life's inevitable challenges.

She is known to millions as @SilverDisobedience.

https://diangriesel.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diangriesel/

https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com/

The Woman Behind The Mother

Poet, novelist, essayist, and editor Jill Bialosky had wanted to write about her mother for some time, but she was busy with other projects, and the timing was not right. But then her mother passed away from Alzheimer's during COVID, and Jill, unable to attend the burial in another city, watched the abbreviated burial on FaceTime. "It was," she said, "very difficult to process her death."

As many authors do, she turned to writing to process her grief. Her essay about the FaceTime Funeral appeared in the New York Times; The floodgates opened wide. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/opinion/coronavirus-burial-facetime.html

Jill's mother was born in 1933 into a world in which women were expected to marry, have children, and live happily ever after. Tragically, her husband died when she was twenty-five, and she was left to care for three daughters, all under the age of three. "She was so unequipped," Jill said. "The advice of family and friends was to find a new husband to take care of us. That's what she did." Unfortunately, that marriage didn't last.

When Jill began to write about her mother in earnest, she decided to start with her mother's death and to move from there, tracing her mother's life back to her childhood. In this episode of "Older Women & Friends," she explains why she decided to move from the end to the beginning. She also takes a hard look at what living in an institution is like and her evolving view of people with Alzheimer's. "They no longer control the narrative of their lives, but are still expressing and participating."

This is a touching, insightful episode that should not be missed.

https://www.jillbialosky.com/

Another recommended podcast for mid-life women.

"Aging with Purpose and Passion" with Beverly Glazer

https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com/

"Anorexia of aging" may affect up to 18% of individuals 65+, more women than men.

Contrary to popular opinion, eating disorders (EDs) are not just a serious health condition for adolescents. Nope, older women, often during menopause, can develop an ED. If you struggled with an ED as a teen or earlier, your chances of sliding back increase.

Today's guest, Michele Mason (60), is a 44-year survivor of anorexia nervosa. She was sixteen when, at 5'11" and weighing 150 pounds, she shrank to 100 pounds. After a three-month hospital stay, she managed to keep her anorexia in check and, over the years, stuffed the experience away to the point where she'd convinced herself that none of this had ever happened.

Following the Pandemic and the explosion of social media, Michele began writing a memoir titled Annihilating Anorexia. She felt compelled to share her experience and all that she'd learned along the way. "I came kicking and screaming," she said. "I was certain people would think less of me."

To her surprise, she received support, kindness, and understanding. And she also discovered that older women and anorexia were much more common than she'd imagined. "When I was pitching the book, women came up to me with stories of a daughter or friend or another family member who was struggling with an eating disorder. I was amazed."

In this episode, Michele and I talk about the red flags of eating disorders, the symptoms, the pressures in today's world to be thin, and the fortitude it takes to conquer the disease. Research is showing that eating disorders may be brain-based and that there are people who have a genetic predisposition.

We also talk about the shame women (and men) feel and the education desperately needed to help curb a problem that is growing, one that is affecting more and more older women.

https://www.amazon.com/Annihilating-Anorexia-Memoir-Michele-Mason/dp/1088178545

mmstep2@yahoo.com