Michelle reads her essay, "Have Mercy," and she and Shana discuss their thoughts on the state of our democracy and the life events happening alongside the current events that make these chaotic times so trying. They conclude that having mercy for themselves and others helps.#podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #democracy, #faith, #mercy

Shana reads her essay, "Authenticating," and she and Michelle have a conversation about how they crave realness and truth as they age, in defiance of the norms of social media, designer knockoffs, and all the procedures that could make them look like an age they are not. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #authenticity, #aginggracefully

Michelle reads her essay, "The Fire," and she and Shana have a conversation about loss, resilience, and the helpers who bring us hope when we most need it. They discuss how we need to be intentional about building and sustaining our sense of community once our kids are grown and these types of connections no longer just fall into our laps.

#podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #LAfires, #loss, #community

Shana reads her essay, "The Matriarch(y)," and she and Michelle have a conversation about how they want to be remembered. They discuss which parts of the matriarchy they want to carry forward and which parts they want to let go. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriend, #relationships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #matriarchy, #legacy

Michelle reads her essay, "Full," about the word that describes her year-in-review. She invites you to look through your camera roll, too, to take inventory of the experiences that shaped you in 2024. Michelle and Shana have a conversation about the words they have chosen for their intentions for 2025 and invite you to join them. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Shana and Michelle have a conversation about intentions for the new year and the importance of shirking their conditioning to make things nice so that they can advocate for themselves and others. Whether it is with medical practitioners or the boundaries they hold with family and friends, they celebrate the voice that emerges with age. Join them in their goal of "responding live in 2025!" #advocate, #saysomething, #newyear2025, #intentions, #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

*Warning: This episode references disordered eating Shana reads her essay, "Size Matters," and she and Michelle have a conversation about how their relationships with their bodies has changed as they get older. They discuss the messages they internalized from childhood, the ways they parent their daughters, and how they are finally finding it easier to focus on their strength and stamina instead of their shape and size. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #bodyimageissues, #bodypositivity

Shana reads her essay, "Timelines," and she and Michelle discuss the moments of history made during their lifetimes that are made personal by the connection to their families' lives. They talk about how moments like 9/11, Columbine, Princess Diana's death, and the housing crash of 2008 affect them and people they love. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #9/11, #Columnbine, #LadyDiana, #Housingcrash

Michelle reads her essay, "I am Exhausted," and she and Shana have a conversation about ways to find calm during challenging times that tap them out. They also discuss the messages Shannon Watts shared with The Gigis, with topics like audacity, legacy, and the "sacred pause." #audacity, #selfcare, #legacy, #shannonwatts, #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Shana reads her essay, "Keeping the Spirit," and she and Michelle have a conversation about how spirit can be easy to come by when we're young, but becomes more like a conviction as we get older. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #holidays, #melancholy,

Shana reads her essay, "Off to the Races," and she and Michelle have a conversation about the turmoil they experience when one or more of their values is at odds with another. Lately, Shana feels as though her value of being an upstander who uses her voice to speak out against injustice is at odds with her values of seeking peace and having loyalty and unconditional love for people she cares about. #upstander, #election, #values, #harmony, #love, #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Michelle reads her essay, "Let Me Ask You," and she and Shana have a conversation about the results of the election and the variety of ways people are responding to the news of another Trump presidency. Specifically, they discuss what it feels like to be a survivor of sexual assault and watch so many fellow Americans vote to put a predator back in office. #sexualassault, #survivors, #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Michelle reads her essay, "Sometimes Love Looks Like That," and she and Shana have a conversation about how love was modeled in their childhoods. They also discuss unconventional ways they show their love for friends and family. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #familydynamics

Shana reads her essay, "Talking Like That," and she and Michelle have a conversation about the important roles friends play in our lives, and how friends show up for us in ways our partners and families can't necessarily relate. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #whyweneedfriends, #girlfriends

Michelle reads her essay, "Dolly Says," and she and Shana have a conversation about letting go of friendships that no longer serve them, lessons they have learned from their own mistakes, and qualities they seek in others when deciding who they want to bring in close. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #friendshipbreakup

Shana reads her essay, "Forging on from 1530," and she and Michelle have a conversation about what it's like to pack up a family home and a parent's belongings after they are gone. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast,#podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #grief, #childhoodhome, #sayinggoodbye

Michelle reads her essay, "Eighteen Weeks," and she and Shana have a conversation about a woman's right to make choices about her own body and holding the media and our politicians accountable for telling the truth. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Shana reads her essay, "The Grace of Time," and she and Michelle have a conversation about what it's like in midlife. With a front-row seat to their parents' decline and their kids' vitality, they stand in the middle, finding more peace (but admittedly some ache) over the march of time. #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast

Michelle reads her essay, "The Recovering Catholic: One Woman's Story" and she and Shana discuss their views on organized religion and spirituality. They offer no answers-- just a search for understanding and deciding what works for them as individuals. #religion #faith #spirituality #podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50

Shana reads her essay, "Laughing Matters," and she and Michelle have a conversation about how laughter is harder to come by in the era of divisive politics and increasing personal loss as we age. They discuss the duality of seeking acceptance for their true feelings and their dogged determination to add levity where they can.

#podcast, #videopodcast, #writingpodcast, #writing, #writingcommunity, #womenwhowrite, #femalewriter, #femalefriendships, #womenover50, #essay, #essaywriting, #community, #mother, #parenting, #vulnerability, #values, #creativejourney, #writingworkshop, #videoessay, #applepodcasts, #spotifypodcasts, #boundaries, #brenebrown, #kellycorrigan, #glennondoyle, #wecandohardthings, #brutiful, #growth, #growthmindset, #womenpodcasters, #essaywriting, #midlifepodcast, #podcastforessaywriters, #podcastforwritersover50, #youtubepodcast, #creativewriting, ##podcastforwriters, #femalefriendships, #laughter, #laughterafterloss