The way you've been setting personal goals is the very thing holding you back from living your biggest life. It’s time to ditch the SMART framework and finally create goals that align with the woman you’re becoming.

Episode Summary:
In this week’s fiery episode, Laurie dismantles one of the most overused—and misused—tools in personal development: the SMART goal framework. You’ve been told to make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. But when it comes to midlife transformation and building your actual BEST LIFE? That framework might be doing more harm than good.

Laurie explains why applying a corporate goal-setting system to your deeply personal hopes, dreams, and desires keeps you stuck in external validation and false deadlines. She dives into why midlife is the exact moment to let go of achievable, "relevant," and time-bound goals—and finally start designing your own definition of success.

You’ll learn:

• Why throwaway goals feel good—but don’t change your life
• How focusing on what’s “achievable” shrinks your vision
• Why setting personal goals based on relevance is total BS
• The sneaky toxicity of arbitrary deadlines
• How to shift from performance-driven goals to purpose-driven dreams

She also introduces the BEST LIFE™ framework—a game-changing, trademarked system she uses with all her coaching clients to move from burnout to breakthrough.

If 2026 is the year you finally start living for you, this episode is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned:

• Click here to learn more about 1:1 or group coaching
• Follow Laurie on Instagram: @schoolofmidlife

Take the Conversation Deeper:
Laurie wants to hear from YOU. What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Slide into her DMs on Instagram or click here to send her an email! 📧

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Why "New Year, New Me" is total BS—and what to do instead.

Welcome to 2026, friend! In this first episode of the year, Laurie Reynoldson takes a refreshingly honest approach to what the New Year really means for high-achieving midlife women. Forget the pressure to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, Laurie shares why easing into the year with intention—not hustle—is the secret to making real, lasting change.

From dissecting the toxic “New Year, New Me” narrative to sharing her own personal story as a state-level sprinter (who, spoiler alert, always started slow and still won her races), Laurie makes the case for embracing a more sustainable—and dare we say, enjoyable—approach to the New Year.

She also walks you through why the real first step isn’t a new gym membership or a 4:30am alarm. It’s doing your damn year-end review. (Don’t worry—there’s a clickable link in the show notes to help you get that done.)

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why fast starts fizzle—and what to do instead
• How to reset your expectations without losing momentum
• The power of planning one quarter at a time
• What “getting back to zero” actually looks like
• How to use lessons from 2025 to build a more intentional 2026
• Why midlife women need a different kind of January energy

Whether you’re feeling fired up or totally wiped out, this episode gives you the permission slip (and game plan) to do things differently this year—and make midlife your best life, one realistic step at a time.

Links & Resources:

• 📥 Download the FREE 2025 Year-End Review Workbook
• 🗓️ Check out the Best Life Planner
• 🌵 Learn more about the April 2026 Best Life Retreat at Civana
• 💬 Want to work together in 2026? Book a call with Laurie!

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The secret to a powerful 2026? Actually finishing 2025.

In this soulful, no-BS episode of The School of Midlife, Laurie dives into the real work we often skip at the end of the year: reflection. If you’ve ever found yourself rushing into goal-setting and resolutions while ignoring everything you just lived through, this episode is your permission slip to pause—and do it differently.

Laurie shares why the space between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to slow down, take inventory, and extract the lessons, patterns, and gold from your year—before you try to plan the next one.

You’ll also hear how high-achieving women get stuck in the “next goal” dopamine loop, and what it takes to break free and find actual fulfillment.

If you’re tired of chasing and ready to live more intentionally in 2026, this episode is the one to listen to before the year ends.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why high-achieving women struggle to pause (and why we must)
• How to avoid chasing goals that don’t actually fulfill you
• What your calendar and camera roll can reveal about the life you’re really living
• The simple year-end practice that shifts your entire perspective
• Why data—not drama—is the key to making confident decisions in 2026
• A sneak peek at Laurie’s personal year-end review and what she’s releasing
• How to grab the free Closing Time Workbook to guide your reflection

🔥 Favorite Quotes:

🎯 Resources + Links:

📝 Download the Closing Time Workbook (Laurie’s year-end review guide):
👉 schoolofmidlife.com/review

🎧 Related Episode:
Why SMART Goals Are Ruining Your Personal Life

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👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

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Work with Laurie