In this powerhouse episode of Life Check Yourself, I sit down with JM Ryerson—leadership coach, international speaker, and bestselling author of Let's Go Win and Upgrade. JM is the founder and CEO of Let's Go Win and has helped companies double (and sometimes triple!) their revenue by simplifying leadership, alignment, and performance. If you're navigating work stress, team dysfunction, or feeling stuck in victim-mode, this episode is a must-listen.

We dive deep into what it takes to thrive in the ever-changing world of work—especially if you're juggling it all in midlife. From mindset hacks to leadership strategies, JM shares no-fluff wisdom that’ll help you stop spinning your wheels and start winning with intention.

1. Stop Mistaking Activity for Alignment
Being busy doesn’t mean you’re being effective. Clarity and simplicity are the secret weapons for massive growth.

2. Focus Creates Flow
Interruptions are killing your productivity. Protect your energy and time like it’s sacred—because it is.

3. Boundaries Build Freedom
Every 'yes' is a 'no' to something else. Learn how to say no without guilt, and watch your joy, health, and impact rise.

🕒 4:29 – Upgrade Your Mindset, Don’t Resist Change

“Write down how you're feeling… Once it’s out, we can focus on the upside.”
Change is inevitable, but how we interpret it is optional. Writing out your resistance helps you move from reactive to reflective, allowing you to design your next move instead of defaulting to fear.

🕒 10:18 – Turn Off Notifications, Turn On Productivity

“Be intentional about setting boundaries with your time and tasks. It’s not rocket science, but it is discipline.”
Productivity doesn't come from doing more—it comes from doing what matters, undistracted. Design your environment (like JM's no-distraction computer setup) to match your goals, not your temptations.

🕒 21:13 – Every 'Yes' Is a 'No' to Something Else

“People won’t say no to others, but they’ll say no to themselves all day long.”
Boundaries aren't about being selfish—they’re about being in integrity. Saying yes to one more late call might mean saying no to your kids, your rest, or your creative flow. Get clear on your why so your no’s feel empowering, not scary.

“Past is pain, future is anxiety, present is everything.” — JM Ryerson

This episode is your permission slip to slow down, get present, and start winning on your terms. Hit play, take notes, and then take one powerful action to create more harmony, courage, and clarity—starting today.

🎧 Listen now and remember: it’s your responsibility to Life Check Yourself.

📘 Grab JM’s book Let’s Go Win for FREE
🌐 Learn more about JM at letsgowin.com
📲 Follow him on all the platforms and check out his podcast Let’s Go Win
Visit us: MarniBattista.Com
Ready To Create Your Corporate Escape Plan? Book A Call With Me
Take the Quiz: Unlock the shocking truth about how your unique personality type is silently shaping your future
Buy Your Radical Living Challenge: 7 Questions For Living The Meaningful Life

👤 Guest Introduction:
Sharon Pope is a Certified Master Life Coach, renowned relationship expert, and seven-time internationally bestselling author—including the hit book Stay or Go, which sold over 300,000 copies. She helps women and men heal, transform, or release struggling marriages with radical clarity and compassion. In this episode, Sharon and I unpack how to navigate midlife relationships, especially when you feel like the spark is gone and you’re stuck in a roommate marriage.

1. Clarity Begins with Ownership – Empowerment starts when you take responsibility for your role.
   
   

2. Conflict Isn’t the Problem—Avoidance Is – Difficult conversations are the doorway to deeper intimacy.
   
   

3. Connection Requires Intention – Communicate clearly, calmly, and with purpose.
   
   

1. Embracing Conflict to Deepen Connection
🕒 01:37

“If you're never arguing, that means one of you isn’t telling the full truth.”
Disagreement isn’t a sign of failure—it’s an invitation. The absence of conflict often means someone is silencing their needs. When you choose to lean in instead of retreating, you create an opportunity to understand one another more deeply and build trust that’s rooted in truth.

2. Stop the Blame Loop: Take Radical Responsibility
🕒 04:44

“The minute you own your part... possibilities open up that don’t exist when it’s all someone else’s fault.”
Waiting for someone else to change keeps you in victim mode. Real power comes when you take even partial ownership of your experience. That’s where your influence—and transformation—lives. It’s not about blame. It’s about reclaiming your power.

3. Mastering Difficult Conversations with Clarity & Calm
🕒 12:02

“Don’t follow them down the branch. Keep the main thing, the main thing.”
When emotions escalate, it’s easy to veer off course. But maintaining your original intention keeps the conversation anchored. Set your intention, speak from your experience, and invite the other person to talk first. This keeps you grounded, diffuses defensiveness, and opens the door to genuine connection.

“Clear is kind. Direct doesn’t mean bitchy—it just means clear.”
Being direct isn’t rude. It’s revolutionary. Women are taught to be accommodating, but clarity is one of the most loving things you can offer in any relationship. Especially when you're rewriting your marriage, communication is the cornerstone.

Whether you’re navigating empty nesting, midlife reinvention, or just wondering if your marriage is meant to last, this conversation gives you tools to reconnect—starting with yourself.

💌 For more wisdom from Sharon Pope, visit sharonpope.com or check out her free gift at sharonpopefreetraining.com

🛑 And remember: Avoidance isn’t peace—it’s delay. Speak. Heal. Connect. Repeat.

🖤 Until next time, keep life-checking yourself.

Connections:

• Visit us: MarniBattista.Com

• Ready To Create Your Corporate Escape Plan? Book A Call With Me

• Take the Quiz: Unlock the shocking truth about how your unique personality type is silently shaping your future

• Buy Your Radical Living Challenge: 7 Questions For Living The Meaningful Life

• "Sharon's Latest Books - https://sharonpope.com/books

• Website - https://www.sharonpope.com

• Truth & Clarity Session - https://clarityformymarriage.com/truth-clarity?_atid=hNu1mk4d0r3qdkB4FZzahVywTftqZO

👤 Guest Introduction:
Lisa Copeland is a trailblazer in the world of midlife love and reinvention. An internationally recognized dating coach for women over 50, Lisa is the author of The Winning Dating Formula for Women Over 50 and has been featured on Dr. Phil, ABC, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and more. After building a successful business, she found herself quietly tolerating things that no longer fit—until she decided to radically redesign her life.

🎙️ Episode Topic:
In this empowering episode, we dive deep into the transformation that happens when you stop settling for a “good enough” life and start building a soul-aligned one—on your terms. From confronting people-pleasing patterns to redesigning her business and finding joy in solo travel, Lisa's journey shows what’s possible when you dare to start again—at any age.

✨ Top 3 Takeaways:

1. Freedom starts with redefining your schedule.
   
   

2. You don’t need permission to choose again.
   
   

3. Play and creativity are soul medicine.
   
   

🧭 Main Topics & Time Stamps:

1. Breaking Free from People-Pleasing & Redesigning Her Schedule (04:15)
Lisa shares how she realized that her jam-packed, client-first schedule was draining her energy and stifling her creativity.

“We don't realize how much freedom we truly have.”
✅ When decisions are based on obligation, you lose power. Designing your day around your energy is the first act of reclaiming yourself.

2. Dismantling Old Beliefs Through Polarity and Somatic Work (07:48)
Lisa fought through perfectionism and learned that she could hold two truths at once. Through deep polarity work and somatic release, she reprogrammed patterns rooted in childhood.

“I thought it had to be one way. I didn’t know I could choose again.”
✅ When stuck patterns feel logical, they often aren’t. Physical release opens the door to emotional transformation faster than overthinking ever could.

3. Experimenting With Fun, Art & Solo Travel to Reignite Joy (20:32)
Lisa shares how solo travel, watercolor painting, and even doodling helped her reconnect with joy and creativity outside of productivity.

“My soul was screaming for me to do art… not scroll my phone.”
✅ Creativity is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. Playful experimentation leads to identity expansion and unexpected breakthroughs.

📝 Notable Quote:

“You think you’re free—but you’re really living inside a box you never questioned.”

🎯 Why This Matters:
This episode is a reminder that midlife is not a deadline—it’s a doorway. If you’re ready to stop bending like a pretzel to please others, reclaim your schedule, reawaken your creative spirit, and finally design the life that fits your soul—you’ll want to hit play now.

🧨 Bonus Insight:
You can’t 10x your life by tolerating what no longer fits. Real freedom begins when you question what you thought was “just the way things are.”

Connections:

• Visit us: MarniBattista.Com

• Ready To Create Your Corporate Escape Plan? Book A Call With Me

• Take the Quiz: Unlock the shocking truth about how your unique personality type is silently shaping your future

• Buy Your Radical Living Challenge: 7 Questions For Living The Meaningful Life

• Lisa’s Website