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What if the life you planned isn't the life you got… and what if that's actually a good thing?

When the kids grow up, relationships change, careers shift, or the roles that once defined us no longer fit, it's easy to wonder: Who am I now?

This week on Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa welcome writer, editor, and book coach Carolyn Flynn for a heartfelt, funny, and refreshingly honest conversation about midlife reinvention and the possibility of a second adulthood.

Carolyn shares her experience of navigating major life transitions, questioning the identities she'd built her life around, and discovering that starting over doesn't have to mean starting from scratch.

Together, we explore the friendships that remind us who we are, the courage to let go of what no longer serves us, and why life after 40 or 50 might be an opportunity to become more ourselves than ever before.

Because maybe midlife isn't about winding down. Maybe we're just getting warmed up!

🍸 In This Episode, We're Talking About:

• The life you planned versus the life you got: What happens when your carefully imagined future takes an unexpected turn?

• Finding yourself beyond your roles: Remembering that being a mother, partner, or professional is part of who you are, not all of who you are.

• Empty nesting and identity: Navigating the emotional shift when children grow up and family dynamics change.

• The power of female friendship: How our friends can remind us of the parts of ourselves we've forgotten—and why we don't have time for mean girls anymore. (Seriously, they're still around?)

• Letting go and starting over: Learning what to keep, what to release, and how to move forward without having everything figured out.

• Your second adulthood: Why life after 50 can be a time for meaningful choices, creativity, adventure, and purpose.

• Making room for yourself: Asking what you want after years of prioritizing everyone else's needs.

💜 Meet Our Guest: Carolyn Flynn

Carolyn Flynn is a writer, editor, and book coach who helps people bring their stories to life. A former editor of Sage magazine, she has interviewed inspiring women, including Gloria Steinem, and writes about reinvention, storytelling, and living boundlessly.

In this episode, Carolyn shares experiences that shaped her own reinvention and the lessons she's learned about identity, resilience, and the possibilities of a second adulthood.

✍️ Two Free Opportunities From Carolyn!

Inspired to write your own story? Carolyn has two special opportunities for Drinks With the Girls listeners!

Free 30-Minute Writing Consultation

If you've been thinking about writing your story but aren't sure where to begin, Carolyn is offering listeners a complimentary 30-minute Find Out More consultation.

Whether you're exploring an idea for a book or finally ready to put your experiences into words, this is an opportunity to connect with Carolyn and talk about your writing goals.

Book your free consultation: https://calendly.com/carolyn-777/30min-free-find-out-more

Free Monthly Writing Community on Zoom

Looking for a little encouragement, dedicated writing time, and a warm-hearted community?

Carolyn also hosts a free monthly Zoom gathering featuring writing time and supportive community. Our listeners are welcome to join any month!

When: The last Monday of every month.

Register for the free Zoom gathering: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/yQwt-sftQFScOMI0xIqBhw

🌐 Connect With Carolyn

Explore Carolyn's writing, books, book-coaching services, and more at:

Website: https://carolynflynn.com

Carolyn also writes on Substack about living boundlessly and storytelling, and discusses her June 2027 writing retreat in Dingle, Ireland.

☕ Keep the Conversation Going

Have you ever reached a point where the life you planned no longer fit the person you'd become?

We'd love to hear what reinvention means to you—and whether you're beginning to imagine your own second adulthood.

Pour yourself a cocktail or a cup of coffee and join us for a conversation about finding yourself, embracing change, and asking one deliciously hopeful question:

What if it's better?

If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who might need to hear it, and follow Drinks With the Girls for more real, raw, heartfelt, and often hilarious conversations about navigating midlife together.

Find us at: https://www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Coconut pineapple sparkling water with vodka Hop Wtr Blood Orange Aperol Spritz

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. And don't worry, no spam and no selling the list to God knows who!

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod — https://www.instagram.com/drinkswiththegirlspod/ Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562302816308 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast — https://www.pinterest.com/drinkswiththegirlspodcast/ YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel — https://www.youtube.com/@DrinksWiththeGirls Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com  💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We're all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – https://www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

🏥Medical Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. While we may discuss functional medicine, wellness practices, and personal health experiences, this content is not a substitute for professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, medications, or lifestyle. The views expressed in this podcast are our own and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Listener discretion is advised, and any actions you take based on the information provided are at your own risk.

 

Ever wonder why you keep people-pleasing, striving for perfection, or falling back into habits you know aren't helping you? What if the problem isn't a lack of willpower—but the ways you've learned to protect yourself?

This week on Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa sit down with Lori Montry, somatic healing practitioner, creator of The Freedom Framework, and author of You're Not the Problem, to explore the connection between our nervous systems, past experiences, and the behaviors we carry into midlife.

We're talking about why conflict can feel downright terrifying, why women so often put everyone else's needs first, and how perfectionism, people-pleasing, and other coping behaviors can become so familiar that we mistake them for our personalities.

Karen opens up about her response to conflict, Lisa shares a personal connection to masking and neurodivergence, and Lori explains why understanding our protective patterns may be the beginning of meaningful change.

Plus, we get into the difference between knowing why you do something and actually feeling safe enough to do it differently.

If you've ever thought, "Why am I still doing this?"—pull up a chair. This conversation might help you ask a completely different question.

And the conversation doesn't end there. Join us for After Hours on Patreon, where Karen and Lisa take a closer look at their own patterns and the ways they've learned to protect themselves.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: • Blueberry Green Tea w/ seltzer and pineapple ginger juice • Diet Coke: The Millennial Cigarette — https://www.self.com/story/diet-soda-millennial-cigarette-expert-advice 🎙️ Guest: Lori Montry — Somatic Healing Practitioner, Author of You're Not the Problem, and Creator of The Freedom Framework 📲 IG: https://www.instagram.com/lorimontry/ 🔗 Website: https://www.lorimontry.com/ 📖 Books: You're Not the Problem — Lori Montry: https://www.lorimontry.com/books/ 🔗 Links: • The Freedom Framework — Learn more about Lori's approach to nervous system regulation, identity, and behavior change: https://www.lorimontry.com/ • Free resources and reader circle — Lori discusses free guides and a weekly reader circle on her website: https://www.lorimontry.com/ 🏥 Medical Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. While we may discuss functional medicine, wellness practices, and personal health experiences, this content is not a substitute for professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, medications, or lifestyle. The views expressed in this podcast are our own and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Listener discretion is advised, and any actions you take based on the information provided are at your own risk.

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod — https://www.instagram.com/drinkswiththegirlspod/ Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562302816308 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast — https://www.pinterest.com/drinkswiththegirlspodcast/ YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel — https://www.youtube.com/@DrinksWiththeGirls Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com — https://www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We're all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – https://www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

If you could go back and talk to your 40-year-old self, what would you say about motherhood, marriage, finding yourself, and navigating the messy middle of life?

Karen and Lisa are taking a trip down memory lane, revisiting two very different versions of life in their 40s. For Karen, it was a decade of rediscovering herself while quietly navigating a marriage that was falling apart. For Lisa, it was a whirlwind of fertility struggles, raising young children, working full-time, and learning to parent a neurodivergent child.

From questioning whether they were good enough mothers to wondering who they were beyond the roles they played, they're sharing the struggles, surprises, and hard-won wisdom that shaped the women they are today.

And here's the thing: Looking back, maybe their younger selves didn't need more advice. Maybe they needed more grace, a little less self-doubt, and permission to trust themselves.

If you're a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s who's ever felt overwhelmed by motherhood, questioned your marriage, lost sight of yourself, or wondered whether you're doing any of it right, this conversation is for you.

Grab your favorite drink and join us for a heartfelt, funny, and refreshingly honest look at the women we were, the women we've become, and why both deserve a little love. Cheers! 🥂____________________________________________________________________

🎧Show Notes:

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Sun Kissed Ice Tea + Vodka Raspberry Condrum California Red Wine Blend 2023

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), breast cancer risk, and menopause—why is it still so hard for women over 40 to get straight answers about their health?

For Part 5 of our Celebrating the Twins series, Karen and Lisa welcome Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, a quadruple board-certified physician and women's health expert, for a candid, eye-opening conversation about hormones, breast health, and taking back control of our midlife wellness.

When Lisa can't get her estrogen patches but Viagra seems readily available, the frustration gets REAL. And for Karen, whose mom battled breast cancer, the fear surrounding hormones hits especially close to home.

Together, they unpack the confusion around HRT and breast cancer risk, explore bioidentical hormones, challenge menopause myths, and tackle why women's sexual health and quality of life are still too often overlooked.

If you're navigating perimenopause or menopause, worried about breast cancer risk, struggling to find a doctor who actually listens, or simply tired of being told to live with your symptoms, this conversation is for YOU.

Because midlife shouldn't mean settling for less. It's time to ask better questions, advocate for our bodies, and feel empowered to make informed decisions about our health.

Grab your favorite drink and join us for some truth, a little outrage, plenty of laughs, and a reminder that you deserve to be heard. Cheers! 🥂

🎧Show Notes:

Guest: Dr. Betsy Greenleaf www.pauseinstitute.com Social Media 40s Forward Podcast Menopause Memo on Spotify

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: South Coast Winery 2024 California Girl California White Table Wine

Lisa’s Arbonne Cocktail  Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up free from 2000 banned chemicals 
Email me for 35-45% off here.

Myos & Protein Milk with Decaf Coffee

Pause Labs.health - Exclusive discount code for 6 mos free for listeners: DRINKS Pelvic Floor Store - Exclusive discount code for 10% off for listeners

🎧Podcast Episodes Celebrating the Twins - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Part 4: A Breast Cancer  Survivor’s Story w/Guest Amy Bergant CTT 3: Mitgating Breast Cancer Risk with Dr. Christine Kollmorgen   CTT 2: Breast Cancer  CTT 1: Breast Reduction Surgery 

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

The hidden cost of caregiving for women goes far beyond exhaustion—and the “Daughter Tax” could be costing you more than you ever imagined.

Women are still so often the default caregivers: raising kids, supporting family, caring for aging parents, managing everyone’s needs—and adjusting careers, income and retirement plans to make it all work. But when you’ve spent decades being the dependable one, where do you draw the line between loving your people and losing yourself?

Karen and Lisa get real about the Daughter Tax and the invisible price women pay for unpaid caregiving. Karen shares how caring for her stepmom after a stroke affected her sisters’ jobs and livelihoods—and what it felt like when her dad simply expected his daughters to step in. Lisa opens up about the financial reality of dropping work to help family, the guilt and pushback that came when she finally started setting boundaries, and the complicated expectations wrapped up in being a “good daughter.”

And then there’s the number. The estimated lifetime financial cost of unpaid caregiving for women stopped us in our tracks. We’re not spoiling it here—but trust us, you’ll want to hear it.

This conversation moves from resentment and guilt toward something every midlife woman deserves: permission to care deeply without disappearing in the process.

If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s or 60s juggling kids, parents, work, family expectations—or wondering why everyone else’s needs always seem more urgent than your own—this episode is for you.

Grab your drink. We need to talk about the Daughter Tax.

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🎧Show Notes:

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

To Us! Sparkling Beverage Wine Alternative - Looks like it is only available regionally 😥 Diet Coke: The Millennial Cigarette

🎧Podcast Episodes Caregiving Episode Traveling With Our Kids (Autism On the Seas Info)

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Why do friendships change so much in midlife—and how do you know which friends are safe enough to see the real you?

Author Lisa Najarian joins Karen and Lisa to unpack the emotional baggage women carry, the friendships that help us put it down, and what happens when we grow into a version of ourselves that some longtime friends don’t quite understand.

Lisa, author of Girl Unpack That: The Trip That Changed Me and the Framework That Can Change You, shares how one girls’ trip became the catalyst for her book—and why getting away with trusted friends can create space for conversations we’ve been avoiding for years.

Together, the girls get real about automatically saying “I’m fine” when you’re anything but, carrying the invisible emotional load for everyone around you, friendship ruptures, outgrowing old dynamics, and realizing that not every friend deserves the same level of access to your heart.

Because by midlife, you’ve lived enough to know that history doesn’t always equal emotional safety. But finding the people who truly get you? That can feel like a safety net—and sometimes, like medicine.

This conversation is for you if you’re navigating changing friendships, questioning whether an old relationship still fits, craving deeper connection, or simply tired of carrying everything by yourself.

Grab your drink and join us as we unpack what women carry, who we trust enough to unpack it with, and the life-changing power of being truly known.

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🎧Show Notes:

🎙️Guest: Lisa Najarian Book: Girl Unpack That

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Non-Alcoholic Aperol Spritz Topo Chico Mango Seltzer   Nightime Detox Tea

📺TV The Five Star Weekend

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Ready to stop people pleasing and start choosing yourself in midlife? For women over 40, giving yourself permission to want more can feel surprisingly uncomfortable—especially when your choices disappoint the people you love.

Karen and Lisa are entering their Permission Slip Era, and they’re talking about what happens when you stop waiting for approval and start trusting yourself. From setting boundaries that make other people uncomfortable to protecting your peace, taking the trip, wanting more joy (and more naps!), and realizing you don’t have to keep explaining your choices—this conversation gets real about the guilt that can come with finally putting yourself back on the list.

Because here’s the messy part: choosing yourself doesn’t mean the guilt magically disappears. People may push back. Old good-girl conditioning may come roaring back. And sometimes you have to let someone be disappointed in you without rushing in to make everything okay.

If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, 60s or beyond who’s tired of people pleasing, questioning your boundaries, or wondering whether it’s selfish to want more from this chapter of your life, pull up a chair.

Nobody is coming to hand you a permission slip.

Maybe it’s time to write your own.

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🎧Show Notes

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Michelob Ultra Jamba Juice

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Exhausted, foggy, overwhelmed—and wondering if this is just what menopause and midlife feel like now? Functional medicine practitioner Dori Martin joins us to talk about midlife burnout, mineral balance, hormones, stress, and why doing all the “right” things doesn’t always make you feel better.

Dori knows this territory personally. After years of caregiving, working, parenting, and carrying all the things, she hit a wall. Her brain stopped cooperating. Small stresses felt enormous. She couldn’t sleep, lost words mid-sentence, snapped at people she loved—and realized she was running on fumes.

Sound familiar?

We get into why so many women struggle to slow down even when their bodies are begging for rest, what minerals have to do with energy and metabolism, and why Dori calls them the body’s “spark plugs.” We also talk about the emotional load women carry, the discomfort of asking for help, and why taking care of yourself isn’t something you earn after everyone else is okay.

If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s who feels like you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do but still don’t feel like yourself, this conversation is for you.

Maybe getting your spark back doesn’t start with doing more. Maybe it starts with finally giving yourself permission to do less. 🍸

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🎧Show Notes

🎙️Guest: 

Dori Martin, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner Instagram: @midlifeenergy.dori

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Los Poblanos Lavender Lemonade Ruby Red Grapefruit HopWtr

🎧Podcast Episodes Functional Medicine with Dr. Tracy McCarthy

Why Am I So Tired Part 1

Why Am I So Tired Part 2 ______________________________________________________________🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

What really changes after 45? For women in midlife, some of the biggest life lessons aren’t about getting older—they’re about finally figuring out what deserves your time, your energy, and your very limited supply of fucks.

Karen and Lisa are spilling the shizzle they’ve learned the hard way: no one is thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are, boundaries are necessary (especially with the people you love), being nice isn’t the same as being kind, and the best relationships sometimes require the hardest conversations.

Then there are the uniquely midlife realizations no one adequately prepared us for: sleep suddenly becomes sacred, your body starts renegotiating the terms of your relationship, alcohol hits differently, staying home in your comfies can sound better than the party—and being “cool” matters a whole lot less. Even if your teenager strongly disagrees.

From fuzzy-slipper school drop-offs and hiding from energy vampires to navigating family boundaries and learning to let people misunderstand you, this is an honest, funny conversation about the freedom that can come with getting older.

Because maybe one of the best things about life after 45 is realizing you don’t have to keep proving, pleasing, explaining, or showing up for everything and everyone.

This episode is for you if you’re a woman over 40 who’s questioning old expectations, protecting your peace, navigating changing relationships, listening to your body a little more closely, or simply wondering: Is anyone else figuring this midlife shit out as they go?

Grab your drink and pull up a chair. You’re definitely not the only one.

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🎧Show Notes

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Pink Pomelo Limeade w/Vodka HopWtr Blood Orange

______________________________________________________________🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Is your marriage going through a rough season—or are you quietly wondering if it might actually be over? Marriage and family therapist Dr. Becky Whetstone, author of I Think I Want Out, joins Karen and Lisa for an honest conversation about marriage crisis, emotional disconnection, separation, divorce, and whether an unhappy marriage can be saved.

Dr. Becky knows this crossroads personally. After her own marriage ended in what she now believes may have been a premature divorce, she made it her mission to understand what happens when one spouse is ready to leave while the other is desperate to hold on.

Together, they unpack the five stages of a deteriorating marriage, why emotional detachment can begin long before anyone says “I want out,” and why the end of Marriage Part 1 doesn’t always have to mean the end of the relationship. Karen and Lisa bring their own experiences with divorce, separation, and rebuilding into a conversation that gets deeply personal—and surprisingly hopeful.

If you’re in midlife questioning your marriage, feeling lonely beside the person you’ve built a life with, considering divorce, or wondering whether there’s still something worth fighting for, this conversation is for you.

Because sometimes the question isn’t simply, Should I stay or should I go? It’s: What could Marriage Part 2 look like—and do we both want to create it?

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🎧Show Notes

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Culture Pop Soda - Wild Berries and Lime Ca' Belli Prosecco Rosé Skinny White Russian (Anna Kournikova)

Guest: Dr. Becky Whetstone Blog - Medium - Dr. Becky Substack - Dr. Becky Whetstone Podcast - “The Truth About Your Relationship”

______________________________________________________________🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Midlife trends are everywhere—but which ones are actually worth the hype for women over 40, and which ones deserve a hard pass?

Karen and Lisa are taking on the trends filling our feeds and creeping onto our midlife to-do lists: embracing gray hair, protein everything, GLP-1s, pickleball, solo female travel, AI, cold plunges, and yes…even beef tallow on your face. (Some things may be a bridge too far.)

But underneath the laughs and side-eye is a bigger conversation: When did aging well become one more thing women are expected to get “right”?

From Karen wrestling with whether to embrace her gray to Lisa sharing her experience with a GLP-1, they get personal about body image, wellness, social media pressure, and the freedom to decide what actually works for you. They also dig into the surprising appeal of solo travel, the pickleball phenomenon, and how AI is changing everyday life—sometimes for the better and sometimes in ways that feel a little too close for comfort.

This episode is for women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond who are tired of being told there’s a new way they should eat, exercise, look, age, work, or live.

Come for the midlife trends. Stay for the reminder that you don't have to follow every one of them to be doing midlife right.

Grab your drink and join us as we decide what we're keeping, skipping, and seriously side-eyeing.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Berry Soleil sparkling water Blood Orange Hop Wtr

🎧Podcast Episodes Natasha Kohlemainen - Going Gray Naomi Watts Book Eat, Pray, Love GLP-1s New Findings on Alcohol Patricia Drain We Do Not Care Club 

📰Articles AI Actress Tilly Norwood

📺TV Dr. Scarpetta series

______________________________________________________________🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

If you grew up in the ’80s, this nostalgic trip through ’80s music, MTV, Brat Pack movies, fashion, first concerts, and teenage crushes is about to unlock memories you didn’t even know you still had.

Karen and Lisa are cracking open the Drinks With the Girls vault for a Mixtape episode that takes us straight back to the decade of Aqua Net, mixtapes, Levi’s 501s, Contempo Casuals, MTV premieres, and waiting FOREVER for your favorite video to finally come on.

From the very important debate of Rob Lowe vs. Andrew McCarthy (friendships could be tested) to Molly Ringwald, the Brat Pack, Madonna, Duran Duran, Rick Springfield, Adam Ant, Live Aid, first concerts, questionable hairstyles, and the absolute magic of ’80s music, Karen and Lisa revisit the pop culture that helped shape a generation.

But underneath all that glorious nostalgia is something that hits differently in midlife: remembering who we were before we became who everyone needed us to be. The teenage girl who felt like an outsider. The one figuring out where she belonged. The one dancing in her bedroom, making mixtapes, crushing hard, and imagining the woman she might someday become.

This episode is for every Gen X woman who hears an ’80s song and is instantly 16 again—and for anyone who could use a funny, joyful reminder that the girl you used to be is still very much a part of the woman you are now.

Grab your drink, turn up the ’80s playlist, and come hang out with us. And be prepared to answer the question that really matters:

Andrew McCarthy or Rob Lowe? 🍸📼💿

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Juneshine - Hard Kombucha Lisa’s Arbonne Cocktail Email her for 35-45% off here

📹Documentaries "Brats"  "Live Aid: Against All Odds":  "I Am Patrick Swayze" "Valley Girl" (1983 - Trailer) Watch it! Too many places to list here!

______________________________________________________________🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Parenting a transgender child can bring up love, fear, questions, and unexpected growth—and these honest stories from three moms of transgender kids remind us that none of us has to navigate life's biggest moments alone.

Karen and Lisa sit down with three remarkable mothers who share the deeply personal journeys of supporting their transgender children with honesty, vulnerability, and unwavering love. Together, they talk about the emotions no one prepares you for—the surprise, the fear, the mistakes, the learning, and the powerful realization that parenting isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up.

Through heartfelt conversations and real-life moments, these moms offer compassion instead of perfection, proving that it's possible to stumble, grow, and strengthen your relationship with your child along the way.

If you're raising teenagers or young adults, navigating changing family dynamics, questioning your own assumptions, or simply want to better understand the experiences of families with transgender kids, this conversation will leave you feeling more informed, more connected, and more hopeful.

Because at the end of the day, every child deserves to be loved for exactly who they are—and every parent deserves the grace to learn alongside them.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Sovany Organic Tangerine Sparkling Water HopWtr - Ruby Red Grapefruit Mingle Pineapple Paloma Lime Polar Selzer Spindrift Grapefruit Selzer

📠Vocab Trans - Trans means across, beyond, or a short form of transgender. It has different meanings depending on how you use it Cisgender - Cisgender means a person whose gender identity matches the sex they were given at birth. It is the opposite of transgender. For example, a person born with a female body who feels and lives as a woman is a cisgender woman Non-Binary - a person does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Their internal sense of gender falls outside the traditional male-or-female binary system, existing instead as a mix of genders, neither gender, or a fluid identity over time. Gender Identity - An internal, deeply felt sense of being male, female, both, or neither. When someone asks for "your pronouns," they are asking how you prefer to be referred to in the third person (e.g., she/her, he/him, or they/them). Sharing these words replaces the need to guess and shows respect for someone's identity and feelings. Misgender - to refer to a person using words, pronouns, or gendered titles that do not match their true gender identity. It often happens to transgender or non-binary people Sex - your biological sex, usually sorted as male or female. This label is based on physical traits like genes, hormones, and body parts. Gender - the social, cultural, and psychological roles, behaviors, and identities that a society connects to being a man, woman, or another identity. Gender euphoria - the deep joy, comfort, or sense of peace people feel when their inner gender identity matches how they express themselves, how their body looks, or how other people treat them. It is often seen as the opposite of gender dysphoria, which is the stress caused by a mismatch with one's assigned sex at birth. While mostly used by transgender and nonbinary individuals, anyone can experience this feeling of alignment. Smith College - all female. Lisa and the panelist’s alma mater

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

The manosphere is shaping conversations about relationships, masculinity, and feminism in ways many midlife women may not even realize. Karen and Lisa unpack the rise of this online movement with curiosity, compassion, and honesty—exploring how loneliness, social media algorithms, and outdated gender expectations are influencing young men and impacting all of us.

This isn't about bashing men or fueling division. It's about making sense of a complicated cultural shift and discovering why feminism can create healthier relationships, stronger communities, and a better future for everyone.

Along the way, Karen and Lisa share candid stories, challenge common myths about feminism, and discuss the emotional pull of online echo chambers that leave so many people feeling isolated and misunderstood.

If you've ever wondered how today's culture is changing relationships, worried about the next generation, or simply wanted to better understand the world we're all living in, this conversation is for you.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Starbucks Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso Homemade Frozen Pear Martini

🔗Links Normally we would link people we talk about on the podcast but we don’t feel like giving them any help with visibility, thank you very much.

“Adolescence”  “Shrinking”  ____________________________________________________________________

🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Naomi Watts' Dare I Say It book review shines a light on the menopause conversation so many women have been waiting for. Karen and Lisa share an honest, heartfelt discussion about the fear, shame, identity shifts, and surprising freedom that can come with midlife, inspired by Naomi Watts' deeply personal story of navigating early menopause while living in the public eye.

With laughter, vulnerability, and plenty of "me too" moments, they unpack the myths they wish someone had challenged sooner, the power of feeling seen, and why this season of life can become the beginning of something even better.

If you're in your 40s, 50s, or beyond and looking for reassurance, real talk, and a reminder that you're not navigating menopause or midlife alone, this conversation will leave you feeling understood, empowered, and hopeful.

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📖Book Review: “Dare I Say It” by Naomi Watts

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Magnificent Wine Co Rose Bubbles (how do they NOT have a website ??#forreals)

Hop Wtr

🎧Podcast Episodes

Andrea Samadi episode   HRT Episode GLP-1

Karen Baskett Episodes:

Menopause and Ayurveda Living Abroad  Living Abroad Pt 2 

📖Books The Galveston Diet by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

🔗Links

Dr. Mary Claire Haver Dr. Sharon Malone Dr. Kelly Casperson Dr. Jen Gunter ____________________________________________________________________

🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

There comes a moment in midlife when you look around at the beautiful life you've built and quietly wonder, Where did I go?

Artist and retreat host Anna Beij joins Karen and Lisa for a deeply honest conversation about losing yourself while caring for everyone else—and the unexpected power of creativity, travel, and giving yourself permission to come home to who you've always been. Through heartfelt stories, laughter, and wisdom earned through life's twists and turns, Anna shares how she traded the life she thought she was supposed to live for one that finally felt like her own.

If you're navigating an empty nest, a major life transition, or simply craving more joy, purpose, and connection, this conversation will remind you that it's never too late to rediscover yourself. Because sometimes the bravest thing a woman can do in midlife is choose herself.

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🎙️Guest: Ana Beij www.anabeij.com

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Iced Coffee Sparkle Hops w/ homemade Strawberry Syrup Wine - Malbec

📖Books The Heroine’s Journey by Maureen Murdock

🔗Links Poshmark

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🍸Want your very own piece of @DrinksWithTheGirls for half the cost of one bougie cocktail  per month? Enjoy exclusive bonus ad free content in After Hours. Head to Patreon and join the community!  https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrinksWiththeGirlsPodcast

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference. From beauty products we swear by and travel hacks that save our sanity to kitchen gadgets, wellness favorites, and the purchases we wish we'd discovered years ago, Karen and Lisa are sharing the everyday finds that have made midlife a little easier—and a lot more fun. Along the way, they laugh about chickens becoming beloved pets, dry shampoo changing everything, Costco vacation wins, and the products that turned out to be total flops.

If you're a woman over 40 looking for honest recommendations, practical tips, and real conversations with friends who have been there, this episode is packed with favorite midlife finds that just might become your new favorites too.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Sovany Tangerine Sparkling Water Sparkle Hops & Home canned Peach Iced Tea Lisa's Arbonne Elixir - Energy Fizz, Mind Health, Skin Elixir, Gut Health, and NAD+ Cellular Energy

🎧Podcast Episodes Dinner Without the Drama w/Lisa Potter Part 1  Part 2: Holiday Edition  Part 3: Summer Edition

Travel With Our Kids Chicks with Chicks Kate La Plaunt - Fashion The Financial Feminist: “How to Turn Your Bills Into Free Travel With Shakeemah Smith (The Passport Abuser)

⭐️ Our Favorite Things 

Under $50 (not really) Inkbird Sous Vide Stick  Container 

Under $50 (yes really) Old Navy Ribbed Cropped Tank Tops - Sadly, sold out on the website so they must be great. Try your local Old Navy Patagonia Bandha tops - thrifted from Poshmark!

Favorite Beauty Products Arbonne Skin Care  (Email Lisa for a discount code) Osea Scrub and Body Oil

Favorite Skin Care Discovery After 50 Arbonne Gelee  Favorite Product That Exceeded Your Expectations Marriot In Transit Conditioner (It’s not $50 - yay!) Brooke Shields Commence 3-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner  Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo Arbonne Haircare Scalp Elixir 

Favorite Phone App Local Grocery Store Apps w/Membership Color Note - Android Notes - Apple

Favorite Subscription Service Fab Fit Fun Boxes Discounted affiliate link from Lisa for Greenlight

Favorite Health And Wellness Tool Yoga With Adrienne Fit On

Favorite Beauty Discovery Jones Road - Miracle Balm

Things We Use That Make Us Irrationally Happy Japanese Gardening Knife Travel Favorites Away Luggage

Travel Hack Luggage Compression System

Favorite Vacation Purchase Costco Vacation Packages Autism On the Seas Palace Resorts Membership Favorite Travel App Kayak Travel Zoo

🔗Links Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up that’s vegan, non-gmo, and free from 2000 banned chemicals Email her for 35-45% off here.

____________________________________________________________________💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Two years. Countless laughs, honest tears, unforgettable conversations—and we're just getting started. 🍸

This special anniversary episode is a heartfelt celebration of everything Drinks With the Girls® has become: a place where women in midlife can laugh, learn, question, and remember they never have to figure it all out alone. Karen and Lisa reflect on the conversations that challenged them, the guests who inspired them, the moments that caught them completely off guard, and the incredible community that's grown around the podcast. They also share exciting news about the launch of Drinks With the Girls®: After Hours, their new Patreon membership where paid members enjoy bonus episodes, ad-free listening, and early access to every new episode a full day before the public.

If you're a woman over 40 navigating reinvention, empty nesting, changing relationships, menopause, or simply craving authentic connection and meaningful conversation, this episode is for you. Come celebrate two amazing years—and raise a glass to everything still to come. Cheers!

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Just Iced Tea Lisa's Arbonne Elixir - Energy Fizz, Mind Health, Skin Elixir, Gut Health, and NAD+ Cellular Energy

🎧Podcast Episodes Living Abroad Part 2 Panel Winter Olympics Taylor Swift & the Patriarchy How Women Are Surviving the Patriarchy Being an Ally Patricia Drain Interview Our Favorite Binges Unpacking Trauma Parts 1 - 3 1 , 2, 3 We Do Not Care Club Confidence and Hormones (and Parasites!) Eat Pray Love Review Early Birds Club Empowered Parent Collective The Panini Generation Marie Crews on Grief

🔗Links Certified B Corp Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up that’s vegan, non-gmo, and free from 2000 banned chemicals Email her for 35-45% off here.

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The Conversation Continues on Patreon Drinks With the Girls®: After Hours 

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

She didn't leave overnight—and chances are, neither do most women.

The walk-away wife phenomenon isn't about one fight or one bad day. It's about years of emotional labor, feeling unheard, carrying the invisible weight of a relationship, and quietly grieving long before anyone else notices.

Karen Shatafian and Lisa Corricello-McDowell unpack why so many women in midlife reach a breaking point after spending years trying to save their marriages. Through honest conversation, personal insight, and real-life stories, they explore what happens when emotional needs go unmet, why communication breaks down, and how women can reconnect with their own voice before losing themselves.

If you're navigating a changing marriage, questioning your relationship, carrying the mental load, or wondering why you feel emotionally exhausted, this conversation will help you feel seen, understood, and far less alone.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Aperol Spritz Topo Chico Mango Olipop Cream Soda

📰Articles Walkaway Wives - Independent

Studies continue to show women still carry the majority of emotional labor and household management inside heterosexual marriages. (Time)

📖Books What Color Is Your Parachute? By Richard N. Bolles

🎧Podcast Episodes Bernadette Catalano Extreme Parenting

🔗Links Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Feeling stuck, overlooked, or unsure what's next? The answer may be hiding in plain sight.

Career and entrepreneur coach Patricia Drain joins Karen and Lisa for a powerful conversation about the gifts women often underestimate, the confidence we lose along the way, and why it's never too late to begin a new chapter. Through personal stories, surprising insights, and one simple question that could change how you see yourself, Patricia offers a fresh perspective on purpose, possibility, and reinvention in midlife.

If you've ever wondered whether there's still something more for you, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and ready to take the next step.

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👉Join the Podsquad here!
 Subscribe for show notes & episode goodies, delivered weekly, spam free!

🎙️Guest: Patricia Drain Patricia@patriciadrain.com

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Sparkle Hops Acai Fallbrook Winery San Giovese

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

A Kentucky Derby upset. A female NHL coach. A Super Bowl-winning team owned by a woman. The game is changing—and women are leading the charge.

We dive into the inspiring stories of women breaking barriers in sports leadership and explore why these victories matter far beyond the playing field. From female coaches and team owners to trailblazers rewriting the rules, this conversation is really about something bigger: reclaiming your voice, your ambition, and your place at the table.

Packed with powerful real-life moments, laughter, and a few passionate rants about the patriarchy, this episode is a reminder that every woman who goes first creates new possibilities for the rest of us.

If you're navigating midlife, dreaming bigger, reinventing yourself, or wondering what's still possible for your next chapter, pull up a chair. This one's for you.

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👉Join the Podsquad here!
 Subscribe for show notes & episode goodies, delivered weekly, spam free!

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Hoplark - Sparkling Hop Tea

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – https://karenshatafian.substack.com/ ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Grief doesn't just take the person you love—it changes the person you are. 

After losing her mother suddenly and, less than two years later, losing her son, Marie Crews found herself navigating the kind of heartbreak most of us can't imagine. Yet through the fog of loss, she discovered something powerful: healing isn't about "moving on"—it's about learning how to live alongside grief.

In this deeply honest conversation, Marie joins Karen and Lisa to share her journey through profound loss, the isolation that often accompanies grief, the surprising impact of grief brain fog, and the mindset shifts that helped her put one foot in front of the other when life felt impossible.

If you're grieving the loss of a loved one, supporting someone through loss, or navigating one of life's seasons of heartbreak and transition, this episode offers comfort, perspective, and a reminder that you're not alone.

Topics include grief, child loss, loss of a parent, healing after loss, self-compassion, resilience, and finding your way forward in midlife.

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🎙️Guest: Marie Crews

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Prosecco Mionetto Olipop Crisp Apple Probiotic Soda

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

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 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

You did everything "right"—built a life you love, raised the kids, made the big changes, maybe even reinvented yourself. So why does midlife still feel lonely sometimes?

Karen and Lisa dive into the surprising difference between friendship and community, and why so many women over 40 find themselves craving deeper connection after divorce, empty nesting, relocation, career shifts, or simply outgrowing old roles. Through candid stories about rebuilding community, navigating loneliness, and pushing beyond comfort zones, they explore what it really takes to find your people in this season of life.

If you've ever wondered why making friends after 50 feels harder than it should, or found yourself asking, "Where do I belong now?" this conversation will leave you feeling seen, understood, and inspired to create meaningful connection on your own terms.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Simply Pop Pineapple Mango Soda - listener supplied! (Shot of vodka was not ☺️)

Arbonne Mango Peach Energy Fizz Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up free from 2000 banned chemicals https://www.arbonne.com/us/en/arb/LisaCorricelloMcdowell/?login=true Email me for 35-45% off here.

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Trying to squeeze into old jeans while quietly grieving the woman you used to be? Same. This honest, funny, and deeply relatable conversation about midlife fashion dives into what happens when your body changes, your lifestyle shifts, and suddenly nothing in your closet feels like you anymore.

Karen and Lisa are joined by fashion-loving educator Kate LaPlaunt, who brings warmth, humor, and zero judgment to the conversation. Together, they unpack the pressure women over 40 feel around aging, style, confidence, and “fashion rules” — while sharing real-life stories about closet crises, thrift-store wins, stilettos on icy Alaska sidewalks, changing bodies, and finally giving themselves permission to wear what makes them feel good.

This episode is for any listener navigating midlife reinvention, menopause body changes, empty nesting, confidence shifts, or the feeling that they’ve somehow lost their style along the way.

Because midlife fashion isn’t about dressing younger. It’s about dressing like yourself again.

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🎙️Guest: Kate La Plaunt

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Kevita Probiotic Refresher in Tangerine Naked Swim Sparkling Green Tea and Red Fruits Glorious Herbal Tea San Pelligrino Selzer

What Kate wished she was drinking: Pear Martini  French 75 - Champagne, Gin, Lemon, Simple Syrup

 

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Karen and Lisa are celebrating 100 episodes of Drinks With the Girls — and the truth behind the milestone is way messier, funnier, and more emotional than anyone sees on social media. From recording through grief, burnout, parenting chaos, tech disasters, and “life lifing,” they share the real story of what it takes to keep showing up in midlife when everything feels hard.

This conversation is a love letter to women over 40 who are reinventing themselves, building something new, healing, setting boundaries, and learning that consistency matters more than perfection. With hilarious behind-the-scenes podcast moments, honest reflections on friendship, and the unfiltered reality of doing life together, Karen and Lisa prove you do not need to have it all figured out to create something meaningful.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late, too messy, or too scary to start — this episode is for you.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Diet Squirt with Vodka Sparkle Hops - Pelican Brewery

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Somewhere between raising kids, managing careers, caregiving, and holding everyone else together… a lot of women wake up in midlife wondering: Who am I now?

Karen and Lisa unpack the identity shifts nobody prepares women for after 40 — the quiet grief of outgrowing old roles, the pressure to stay “relevant,” and the exhausting feeling of disappearing inside everyone else’s needs. Through raw conversation, humor, honesty, and deeply relatable moments, they explore what it really means to rediscover yourself after years of survival mode.

From body image and aging to emotional burnout and reinvention, this conversation is for women who feel disconnected from themselves, stuck in transition, or ready to reclaim parts of themselves they thought were gone forever.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, I don’t even know who I am anymore, this one will hit home.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Pierre’s Paloma Green Cheek Seltzer Sparkle Hops - Pelican Brewery

Karen's Reclamation Lounge

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

They were our anchors… and somehow, we’re learning how to stand on our own.

This Mother’s Day conversation is honest, funny, and unexpectedly healing—about the women who raised us, the relationships that shaped us, and the versions of ourselves we’ve grown into along the way. Lisa and Karen share what it’s like to move from daughter to friend, to grieve what was, and to finally understand the lessons that didn’t make sense back then.

There are moments that will make you laugh (like the things our moms definitely didn’t want to know) and moments that hit deep—like saving a voice recording you didn’t know you’d one day treasure, or realizing strength showed up when you didn’t have a choice.

This episode isn’t just about loss—it’s about growth, perspective, and the quiet ways our moms are still part of who we are today. Karen brings the lens of losing her mom young and learning life without her, while Lisa shares what it means to reprocess a relationship and find a deeper, more honest connection over time. Together, they guide a conversation that feels like sitting down with women who truly get it.

🎧 This one is for:

• Women in midlife navigating complicated or evolving relationships with their moms

• Anyone missing their mom (especially around Mother’s Day)

• Daughters becoming mothers—and seeing everything differently

• Women doing the work to heal, reflect, and move forward

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I get it now, Mom”… this conversation will stay with you.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Basic Beech Pacifico Beer with Lime Fentiman's Pink Ginger

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

The word was “clusterf*ck”… and honestly? It only gets more real from there.

This is the conversation every educator—and every midlife woman holding it all together—has been having behind closed doors.

Karen and Lisa sit down with returning guest Amanda to pull back the curtain on the toxic reality of education today—where passion collides with burnout, boundaries disappear, and the job that once felt like a calling starts to feel unsustainable. From the shocking shift in what schools are dealing with now versus 20 years ago, to the emotional toll of being “always on,” this episode doesn’t sugarcoat a thing.

You’ll hear raw, unfiltered moments about:

• The pressure of being available 24/7
• Why “summers off” is one of the biggest myths out there
• How leadership can make—or completely break—the experience
• The quiet grief of loving a career that’s slowly draining you

But this isn’t just about what’s broken. Amanda brings powerful insight as a leader and coach, helping reframe what’s possible when we start telling the truth about burnout, boundaries, and what we actually need to feel supported again.

If you’re a teacher, former educator, or a midlife woman questioning why the life you built suddenly feels so heavy… this one will hit home.

Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit: this isn’t working anymore—and start asking what might. 🍸

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🎙️Guest:  Amanda Younts https://linktr.ee/amandayounts @midlifecatalyst

 

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Wild Wonder Pineapple Paradise PREBIOTIC + PROBIOTIC SPARKLING DRINK Arnold Palmer (Iced Tea/Lemonade) Bundaberg Ginger Beer Apparently, it’s Australian, not German….oops Lime Bubly

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

 

Ever feel like saving the planet is just… too much?

Between the plastic at the dentist, the endless Amazon boxes, and the constant noise of “do more,” it’s easy to slip into that quiet midlife question: does anything I do even matter?

In this honest and often hilarious Earth Day conversation, Karen and Lisa  unpack the overwhelm, the guilt, and the small but meaningful ways we can reconnect—with the planet and with ourselves. From surfing with dolphins to gardening in the Pacific Northwest, from hummingbird nests to wildfire anxiety, they share real-life moments that remind us this isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention.

Along the way, they explore something deeper: how women in midlife are exhausted from taking care of everyone else—and what Mother Earth can teach us about rest, cycles, and starting again.

If you’ve ever felt burned out, disconnected, or unsure where to even begin when it comes to sustainability, this conversation will meet you right where you are—and gently nudge you forward.

✨ This episode is for listeners navigating midlife, craving a slower pace, and looking for simple, doable ways to care for the planet without losing themselves in the process.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Pierre's Paloma Fizzy Paloma-Style Hard Seltzer

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Your body is reacting… and you don’t even know why. One text, one look, one moment—and suddenly you’re spiraling, shutting down, or ready to run.

Karen and Lisa get real about those “where did that come from?” reactions in relationships—and the answer might be trauma. The kind that quietly shapes how we love, communicate, trust, and show up… especially in midlife.

With trauma therapists Alex and Alyssa guiding the conversation, this episode connects the dots between your past and your present patterns—why conflict feels unsafe, why certain relationships feel familiar (even when they’re not healthy), and how your nervous system is calling the shots more than you think.

From a powerful moment of physically shaking after a simple text to the realization that “I’ve been doing this forever,” this conversation brings those invisible patterns into the light—and reminds you that you’re not broken, you’re responding.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in the same relationship dynamics, avoiding conflict, people-pleasing, or wondering why you react the way you do—this episode is for you.

Because healing isn’t about fixing yourself… it’s about finally understanding yourself.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Wild Wonder Prebiotic + Probiotic Sparkling Drink - Guava Rose Flavor Simply Pop Prebiotic Soda - Pineapple Mango Flavor Hio Organic Peach Mango Social Tonic

🎙️Guests:  Alyssa Scarano Collective Therapy

Alex Casillas Con Corazon Mental Health Services

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Something feels off… and you can’t quite explain it.

You’re forgetting things you never used to forget. Questioning yourself in rooms you used to own. Wondering, quietly, “What is happening to me?”

This conversation goes straight into that moment—the one where confidence starts slipping, identity feels shaky, and you barely recognize yourself anymore. And here’s the truth that hits hard: it’s not just in your head.

With functional integrative health practitioner Dyna Vink as our guide, we unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface—why high-functioning, capable women suddenly feel foggy, overwhelmed, and disconnected from who they’ve always been. From brain fog and burnout to the emotional toll of losing trust in yourself, this episode connects the dots in a way that feels equal parts validating and eye-opening.

There’s a moment where Karen shares she thought she was facing early cognitive decline… and the relief (and frustration) when she realized it was something else entirely. And yes—we even go there: gut health, hidden imbalances, and the surprising ways your body can impact your confidence and sense of self .

This isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about understanding you.

If you’re in your 40s or beyond and quietly wondering why you don’t feel like yourself anymore—this episode is for you.

Because you’re not losing it. And you’re definitely not alone.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Green Cheek Paloma Hard Selzer

Arbonne Dream Tea Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up free from 2000 banned chemicals. Email me for 35-45% off here.

Orange Mango Infusion - ya gotta go to Panama for this one - sorry loves!

🎙️Guest:  Dyna Vink Integrative Health Practitioner https://holisticnutritionlifestyle.com/

🏥Medical Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. While we may discuss functional medicine, wellness practices, and personal health experiences, this content is not a substitute for professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, medications, or lifestyle. The views expressed in this podcast are our own and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Listener discretion is advised, and any actions you take based on the information provided are at your own risk.

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

The world feels heavy… and sometimes you just need something that makes you laugh, escape, or feel like yourself again.

This week, Karen and Lisa are sharing the binge-worthy shows, movies, books, and music they turn to when life feels overwhelming—from laugh-until-you-snort favorites like Ted Lasso and Derry Girls to darker, can’t-look-away British mysteries and true crime escapes.

But this isn’t just about zoning out. It’s about finding what actually helps—whether that’s comfort, release, or a full-on mental getaway. Along the way, they get real about midlife stress, grief, nervous system overload, and why sometimes the best medicine is a show that lets you feel everything… or nothing at all.

If you’re a midlife woman juggling all the things and craving a break that actually works—this one’s for you.

Press play, pour a drink, and find your next binge. 🥂

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

June Shine Desert Cooler

Fentiman’s Ginger Beer

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Twenty years later, Eat, Pray, Love still hits a nerve—and this conversation goes way beyond pasta and passports. Karen and Lisa unpack why so many women saw themselves in one woman’s breaking point… and what it really means to admit, “This life isn’t working anymore.”

From impulsively driving away just to breathe for a few hours to memories of mothers who quietly chose themselves, this episode is filled with those oh wow, I’ve been there moments that don’t always get said out loud.

With honesty, humor, and a little side-eye at the myth of “having it all together,” they explore the real transformation behind the story—the courage to question your life, give yourself permission to want more, and redefine what fulfillment looks like in midlife.

Think of Karen and Lisa as your guides through the messy middle: part reflection, part reality check, part permission slip.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless, or quietly wondered if there’s more waiting for you—this one will feel like a deep exhale.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Half Day Iced Tea Recess Island Spritz

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

The Winter Olympics gave us more than medals this year—it gave us a powerful reminder that women don’t come with an expiration date.

From the fearless comeback of Lindsey Vonn to Olympic moms racing, skating, and competing at the highest level while raising young kids, this conversation dives into the real stories behind women who refuse to age out, shrink back, or follow the timeline society hands them.

Karen and Lisa unpack the double standards women athletes still face—from criticism over age and motherhood to the pressure to look, act, and perform a certain way. They celebrate the athletes who are rewriting the narrative: women competing in their 30s and 40s, mothers balancing elite sports and family life, and younger competitors boldly prioritizing mental health and authenticity.

Along the way, they explore how these Olympic moments mirror the midlife journey so many listeners know well—questioning the rules, redefining what’s possible, and realizing it’s never too late to bet on yourself.

This episode is for listeners navigating midlife reinvention, launching kids, reclaiming their dreams, or wondering if it’s too late to start something new. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of an invisible timeline, this conversation will remind you that the most powerful chapters of life might just be the ones we write next.

Pour yourself a drink and join the conversation about courage, comeback stories, and women who prove that strength, ambition, and possibility don’t have an expiration date. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Zevia Orange Soda Naked Swim Sparkling Herbal & Black Tea - Get it at World Market!

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Moving abroad in midlife sounds romantic… until the real transformation begins.

In Part 2 of our conversation with women who left the U.S. to build lives in places like Italy, Belize, and the Caribbean, the fantasy gives way to something deeper: identity shifts, unexpected loneliness, freedom, and the courage to start again.

Our guests share the honest, unfiltered side of creating a life overseas in midlife — from finding community in a new culture, to navigating solitude, sobriety, reinvention, and the surprising ways moving abroad strips away the roles we thought defined us.

You’ll hear powerful real-life moments about building connection from scratch, realizing which friendships were real, and discovering who you are when the familiar disappears.

This conversation isn’t just about living abroad — it’s about what happens when midlife invites you to rewrite the rules.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to start over, reclaim your identity, or design the next chapter of your life on your own terms, this episode will resonate deeply.

Because sometimes the biggest transformation doesn’t happen when you leave… it happens after you land.

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🎙️Guests:

Karen Baskett lives in Belize 🇧🇿 Shannon Whaley lives in Italy Megan Mulvihill Elkins lives in Nevis 🇰🇳

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: ☕Basic B*tch Coffee 🥤Starbies Karen's Santevia Water Filter/Remineralizer

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
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 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

The patriarchy isn’t just politics or headlines — it’s the air midlife women have been breathing for decades. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

Karen and Lisa pull back the curtain on the quiet, insidious ways the patriarchy shapes women’s lives — from being told to be “likable” and low-maintenance, to carrying the emotional load at home, to shrinking our ambition so everyone else stays comfortable. Using Taylor Swift’s fight to own her masters, the public scrutiny of her success, and the cultural double standards she faces, they unpack how powerful women are still policed — and why that hits so close to home in midlife.

This isn’t about blaming men. It’s about exposing the system. It’s about recognizing the conditioning, questioning the roles we inherited, and reclaiming financial autonomy, emotional truth, and the right to want more.

If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s and feeling exhausted, restless, or quietly pissed off… this conversation will feel like someone finally turned the lights on.

For listeners who are done shrinking, done apologizing, and ready to own their next chapter — this one’s for you. Cheers. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Whalebird Kombucha - Lavender Lemonade

Recess Zero Proof Lime Margarita

______________________________________________________________________

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

You still love to dance — you just don’t want to stay out until 2AM.

Somewhere between raising kids, caregiving, running businesses, and rebuilding ourselves, joy started coming with a curfew. But what if midlife fun didn’t have to mean exhaustion the next day?

This conversation dives into the magic of the Early Bird’s Club — a women-centered dance movement created for those of us with real responsibilities and early mornings. But this isn’t just about dancing. It’s about reclaiming the version of you who moved freely before everyone needed something from her.

Karen and Lisa explore the emotional shift that happens when women gather without performance, without pressure, without the male gaze — just nostalgia, sweat, laughter, and pure, unfiltered joy. They unpack what it means to carve out space where you don’t have to manage anyone else’s needs — where you show up exactly as you are and move your body because you can.

From conversations about invisible labor and midlife identity to the power of women-only spaces and rediscovering fun on your terms, this episode is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t always look like a new career or relationship. Sometimes it looks like 6PM on a dance floor with women who get it.

If you’re a woman over 40 craving connection, permission, and a little rebellion before bedtime — this one is for you.

Because joy doesn’t expire. It just gets scheduled differently.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Pocket Espresso☕️

Starbies Grande Peppermint Mocha, Half Sweet, w/Oatmilk🥤

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

You look in the mirror and think, When did I disappear?

Somewhere between raising kids, managing relationships, building careers, and being the “low maintenance” one, you stopped centering yourself. You became productive. Reliable. Easy.

And now? You’re not so sure who you are anymore.

This Valentine’s week, Karen and Lisa get real about what self-love actually means for women in midlife — and it’s not bubble baths and spa days.

It’s boundaries. It’s keeping the damn piece of cake. It’s saying no without apologizing. It’s choosing yourself after decades of blending in.

From hilarious holiday meltdowns to vulnerable stories about divorce, good girl conditioning, surfing at 35, and being praised for having “no needs,” this conversation explores the slow burn of self-abandonment — and the courage it takes to reclaim your voice.

They unpack why women over 40 struggle with self-worth, the difference between self-care and real self-love, and why choosing yourself in midlife can feel rebellious — and freeing.

This episode is for the woman in her 40s, 50s, or 60s who feels disconnected, exhausted from people-pleasing, or ready to stop shrinking.

Because loving yourself isn’t indulgent.

It’s overdue.

Grab a drink and join us. 🍸💗

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Kevita Probiotic Refresher Lemon Ginger

Arbonne Cleantox Tea Lisa’s Affiliate Link with Arbonne - Pure, Safe, Beneficial nutrition, skincare, body care, and make-up free from 2000 banned chemicals

Email me for 35-45% off here.

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

America feels louder, harsher, and more unsteady than ever — and midlife women are carrying the weight of it all. The fear. The anger. The exhaustion. The constant question of how much more can we hold?

Karen and Lisa pull up their chairs for a raw, honest conversation about what it actually feels like to live through this moment in the U.S. as women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s. No debating. No talking points. Just real talk about political overwhelm, doomscrolling, nervous systems on edge, and the emotional labor women absorb every single day.

They share deeply personal stories — from setting boundaries with the news, to navigating silence versus speaking up, to the very real fears around safety, citizenship, and protecting our families. Along the way, they offer grounding perspectives, humor when it’s needed most, and permission to care for yourself without checking out completely.

This episode is for listeners who feel anxious, angry, heartbroken, confused, or just plain tired — and who need to know they’re not alone. If you’ve been wondering how to stay present, protect your mental health, and keep moving forward without losing yourself, this conversation is for you.

Pull up a seat. Take a breath. We’ve got you. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:


Culture Pop Probiotic Soda Fizzy and Gutsy - Ginger, Lemon, and Turmeric

Diet Coke: The Millennial Cigarette

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

Speaking your truth after 40 often feels like breaking rules you were praised for following your entire life. In this episode of Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa unpack the unspoken expectations midlife women are finally questioning — from people-pleasing and emotional labor to staying comfortable instead of honest.

This conversation explores midlife reinvention, gaslighting ourselves into staying unhappy, motherhood, caregiving, divorce, and the exhaustion that comes from carrying invisible responsibility. We talk about the difference between being comfortable and being stuck, why choosing yourself can feel radical, and how speaking your truth reshapes relationships, identity, and self-trust.

If you’re navigating midlife change, questioning old roles, or feeling ready to stop minimizing what you want, this episode will make you feel seen — and less alone.

***************************************** 👉Join the Podsquad here! Subscribe for show notes & episode goodies, delivered weekly, spam free!

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Bare Life Hot Cocoa Mix

Starbies and Water🥤💧

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

Why does money feel so complicated, especially in midlife? Because it is. And yet, as Karen Van Voorhis gently reminds us in this episode, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible—or that we’re behind.

If you’ve ever stared at your pay stub, shrugged at your 401k, or avoided eye contact with your Fidelity login like it’s an ex at the grocery store… this episode is your financial permission slip to get curious, not critical.

Karen Van Voorhis, our favorite no-nonsense, ultra-compassionate financial planner, is back. And she’s bringing the clarity, calm, and a dash of humor to the kinds of money questions that keep us up at night. Roth vs. traditional IRAs, new retirement options inside employer plans, what to do if you’re newly single or starting over in your 50s—she covers it all. And spoiler alert: if you’re not “maxing out” your contributions or don’t even know what you’re contributing… you’re not alone.

We also dig into the emotional side of money—the blame, the shame, and the “why didn’t I know this sooner?” spiral so many of us fall into. Karen V. offers a refreshing reframing: this isn’t a failure—it’s just a chapter. And we can learn this, one month, one question, one login at a time.

💸 For every woman who’s ever felt intimidated by her finances… 💼 For entrepreneurs navigating retirement solo… 🍷 And for anyone who's ever whispered “I probably should know this, but…”—this episode is your soft place to land.

Pour a drink (even if it’s cranberry ginger ale) and join us for a conversation full of real talk, relief, and a few laughs about the big, messy topic of money in midlife. Your future self will thank you.

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🎙️Guest: Karen Van Voorhis Director of Financial Planning Daniel J. Galli & Associates

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Modello Beer Michael David Petit Petit Ginger Ale w/Cranberry Juice

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

When Jane Fonda tells you to get your shit together—you listen. That’s exactly how Chelsea Handler’s latest book kicks off, and trust us, it only gets juicier from there. This week, Karen and Lisa crack open I'll Have What She's Having and find way more than celebrity gossip or comedy—they find a woman doing the deep, uncomfortable, glorious work of coming home to herself.

From therapy breakthroughs to choosing solitude over settling, Chelsea’s story is a love letter to living life on your own damn terms. And the girls don’t just review the book—they reflect on their own midlife pivots, from embracing quiet mornings alone (finally!) to dreaming up a Drinks With the Girls retirement compound where your chosen family does life together.

Karen and Lisa are your trusted guides through the messy middle—wise, hilarious, and never afraid to go deep. Whether you’re recovering from a breakup, reevaluating your life goals, or just wondering when it’s your turn to come first, this conversation will leave you laughing, thinking, and maybe even planning your own solo trip with a side of sushi.

This episode is for every woman in her 40s, 50s, or 60s who’s ready to stop shrinking and start showing up—boldly, beautifully, and without apology.

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📖Book Review Chelsea Handler’s “I’ll Have What She’s Having”

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Cab Franc

The Millennial Cigarette

🎧Podcast Episodes:

Smart Financial Moves Pt 1

Buy the F*cking Lillies Episode

📖Books Buy the F*cking Lillies by Tara Schuster

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💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

If you’ve ever been told your labs are “normal” but you still feel exhausted, anxious, inflamed, or just off, this episode is for you. We sit down with Dr. Tracy McCarthy, a functional medicine physician who helps women understand what’s really going on beneath the surface in midlife. From hormone shifts and thyroid dysfunction to gut health and the long-term effects of stress and trauma, Dr. McCarthy explains how the body and brain are deeply connected—and why so many women feel dismissed by conventional medicine. We talk about the difference between functional and traditional approaches, how mental health symptoms often have physical roots, and why tuning in to your body’s signals is the first step toward healing. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating perimenopause, mood changes, fatigue, or feeling like a stranger in their own skin. You’ll walk away feeling informed, validated, and more equipped to advocate for your own well-being.

***************************************** 👉Join the Podsquad here! Subscribe for episode goodies, delivered weekly, spam free!

🎙️Guest: Dr. Tracy McCarthy Website: https://www.drtracymccarthy.com/ IG: @drtracymccarthy

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Modelo Celestial Seasonings Yogi Green Tea The Devil's Own Walnut & Fig Rum Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Tea

🏥Medical Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. While we may discuss functional medicine, wellness practices, and personal health experiences, this content is not a substitute for professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health, medications, or lifestyle. The views expressed in this podcast are our own and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Listener discretion is advised, and any actions you take based on the information provided are at your own risk.

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

What if the life you built… suddenly wasn’t yours anymore?

A job gone. A marriage ended. A role you gave everything to—vanished. In this raw and unfiltered episode, Karen and Lisa unpack what happens when midlife reinvention isn’t a choice—it’s a reckoning.

This isn’t the “vision board” version of starting over. This is the kind where your world gets pulled out from under you, and you're left staring at the pieces, wondering who you are without the title, the partner, the plan.

Through real-life confessions, hard-earned wisdom, and one hell of a rage room fantasy, we talk about what it means to survive the collapse—and still believe in your own comeback.

You’ll hear:

• What it’s like to be let go… and still expected to show up

• The grief of losing identities we didn’t realize we built our lives around

• How a therapist’s brutal truth bomb cracked one of us wide open

• The messy but honest truth about rebuilding self-worth from scratch

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel seen, validated, and maybe even a little less alone in your own midlife plot twist.

Perfect for anyone who’s tired of pretending they’re fine and ready to find what’s real—even if it’s still a little broken.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Monteluna from Monserate Winery Trader Joes Sparkling Green Tea with Pineapple Juice

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. And don't worry, no spam and no selling the list to God knows who!

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
 Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
 Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
 YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
 Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
 Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
 ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
 ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

🌿 What if the “New Year, New You” mindset is actually making you feel worse — not better?

If you're over 40 and exhausted by toxic wellness trends, diet pressure, and the constant demand to “fix” yourself every January… this episode is your reset.

We’re tossing out the guilt, the grind, and the goals that don’t serve us — and replacing them with something radical: self-trust. Lisa and Karen dive into what real wellness looks like in midlife, from body image and movement to motivation that actually lasts.

💬 Real talk moments include:

• Why rage rooms (yes, literal rage rooms) are helping us reset

• How to stop measuring your worth by productivity

• The surprising mindset shift that brings peace and momentum

• Letting go of “before and after” thinking — especially when it comes to your body

✨ You’ll walk away feeling grounded, seen, and ready to embrace the New Year without betraying yourself.

Perfect for women over 40 who are done with perfection, craving permission, and ready to redefine what thriving looks like — on their terms.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Trader Joe’s Tangerine Probiotic Sparkling Beverage

Squirt

🎧Show Notes Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉 Subscribe Here  💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think? We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. And don't worry, no spam and no selling the list to God knows who!

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation:
Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod
Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast
YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel
Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com

💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears.
Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com Connect with your hosts:
✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com
✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

 

What if your struggles with food, focus, and fatigue weren’t failures—but signs that your brain has been asking for a different kind of care all along?

In this eye-opening episode, Karen and Lisa sit down with nutrition and wellness coach Caroline Hinchliff to unpack the messy, misunderstood relationship between neurodivergency and nourishment—especially for women in midlife. If you've ever stood in front of the fridge completely overwhelmed, skipped meals out of guilt or chaos, or asked yourself “Why can’t I just get it together?”... this conversation will make you feel seen, validated, and a little less alone.

Caroline doesn’t just talk about ADHD or food as checklists or diagnoses—she gets to the emotional core. The shame, the sensory overload, the decades of diet culture that taught us to shrink ourselves, not feed ourselves. She brings compassion, real-life wisdom, and a few truth bombs (like why biology always wins over willpower).

We talk about everything from late-in-life ADHD realizations to parenting neurodivergent teens, the lies we inherited about health, and what it actually takes to build nourishing habits when your brain doesn’t do “routine.”

Expect confessions, hard truths, and the kind of gut-level clarity that sticks.

Perfect for any woman in her 40s, 50s, or 60s who’s tired of trying to fix herself—and ready to start feeding herself, instead.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Guest: Caroline Hinchliff https://eathikelove.com/

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Vernacia sparkling red something (Karen had the nerve to recycle the bottle before we wrote the show notes ☹️)

HopWatr - Peach

Craftwell Cocktails Pineapple Margarita

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🎧Show Notes

Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned in this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉Join the Podsquad here!

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com

Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

If you’ve ever walked into a room and immediately scanned the emotional temperature, remembered five birthdays, scheduled a dentist appointment, and wondered why no one else noticed the moldy milk in the fridge… this episode is for you.

This week on Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa dive headfirst into the exhausting, invisible work known as the mental load — and why it hits midlife women especially hard. From managing everyone’s emotions to spinning all the plates (even when we have no forks left to give), we’re unpacking what it really means to be the default project manager of life.

We talk about:

• What is the mental load, really?

• Why emotional labor peaks in your 40s, 50s, and beyond

• The myth of “doing it all” and how it’s wearing us down

• How to begin putting the damn bag down

This one’s raw, real, and full of laughter, sarcasm, and solidarity — with a splash of wine-in-a-can wisdom.

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

Bloom Energy Drink in Cherry Lime

House Wine - Rainbow Rosé Bubbles

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🎧Show Notes

Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned in this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉 Subscribe Here and get the show notes for this episode! 

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com

Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

This week on Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa dive into the viral “We Do Not Care” movement — and let’s just say, it’s giving hot flashes and zero apologies. From twisted bras and visible nipples to ditching people-pleasing and zucchini muffins, they unpack what it really means when midlife women start saying nope, not today. Inspired by Melani Sanders' wildly relatable videos, the conversation gets real about boundaries, identity, and the freedom that comes when estrogen drops and your tolerance for BS goes with it.

This episode is for every woman who’s ever felt guilty for setting a boundary, burned out from trying to do it all, or just plain tired of sucking in her stomach. You’re not alone — and guess what? We do not care.

Includes talk about: • The We Do Not Care Club & its hilarious origins • Why midlife women are DONE with the emotional labor • The connection between menopause and letting go • Real talk on boundaries, bras, and being unbothered • What we’re finally learning to care about instead

Grab your drink, pull up a seat, and welcome to the meeting — no bra required. 🍸

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🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Plift Tart Lime

Arbonne - Tart Cherry Energy Fizz (Retired), Skin Elixir, GutHealth

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🎧Show Notes

Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned in this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉 Subscribe Here and get the show notes for this episode! 

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com

Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

This one’s for every woman who’s ever wondered if she was a good enough daughter—or a good enough mom.

Karen and Lisa sit down with attorney, writer, and self-proclaimed Queen Bee, Bernadette Catalana, for a conversation that’s tender, honest, and full of midlife wisdom.

Inspired by her book Daughter Lessons: Wise and Witty Reflections on Leading, Learning From, and Loving Our Daughters, Bernadette opens up about raising two girls, navigating the emotional complexity of mother-daughter relationships, and how writing helped her process grief, aging, and identity. From healing generational wounds to finding herself after the kids left home, Bernadette’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to reflect, reconnect, and redefine what legacy means.

Pour yourself something cozy—this episode explores:

• Letting go of old narratives (and writing new ones)

• The surprising grief of launching grown children

• Reconnecting with hometown roots (and old heartbreaks)

• Keeping the promises we make to ourselves in midlife

• The beauty and bravery of sharing our stories—even the hard ones

Whether you’re a mom, a daughter, or someone trying to make peace with both, this conversation will hit you in the heart and stay with you long after the last sip.

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🎙️Guest:

Bernadette Catalana bernadette@daughterlessons.com

https://www.daughterlessons.com/

Daughter Lessons: Wise and Witty Reflections on Leading, Learning From, and Loving our Daughters by Bernadette Catalana

Bernadette on LinkedIn

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking: Pacifico w/Lime Drink Up Witches Glass Stella Artois Liberte Rosé Wine

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🎧Show Notes

Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned in this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉 Subscribe Here and get the show notes for this episode! 

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com

Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com

What if midlife wasn’t the beginning of the end, but the start of your boldest chapter yet—somewhere far, far from home?

In this raw and vibrant episode of Drinks With the Girls, Karen and Lisa talk with three midlife women who traded burnout, people-pleasing, and autopilot living for new lives abroad. We're talking Belize, Italy, and a beach in the Caribbean. Real places. Real stories. Real women who said, “What if I just… left?”

These aren’t polished highlight reels. You’ll hear about the hot flashes that turned into wake-up calls, the packed suitcases filled with fear and hope, and the quiet moments that sparked giant life pivots. One woman healed her asthma, another rediscovered joy through storytelling, and all of them gave themselves permission to live differently.

Whether you’re dreaming of a passport stamp or just desperate to break free from the roles that no longer fit, this episode will leave you feeling empowered, grounded, and deeply seen.

🎧 Perfect for any woman in midlife who’s quietly asking: Is this really it—or could there be more?

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🎙️Guests:

Shannon Whaley lives in Italy Megan Mulvihill Elkins lives in Nevis and New York

🍸☕ What We Were Drinking:

🍵Tizzy CleanTox Tea + Arbonne Energy Fizz #arbonne ☕Basic B*tch Coffee 🍵CCF Tea

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🎧Show Notes

Looking for all the magical goodness we mentioned in this episode? Want it sent directly to your inbox each week along with every new episode? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife fabulousness delivered to your inbox. 💌 And, even better, no ⛔ spam or selling 💸 of your email - we promise!

👉 Subscribe here and get the show notes for this episode! 

💬 Takeaways — What Do YOU Think?

We want to hear from you! Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us an email at drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com. Whether it's a story, a laugh, or a “yep, been there”—we love hearing how our episodes land with you. 

📲 Stay Connected Follow, like, and join the conversation: Instagram: @drinkswiththegirlspod Facebook: Drinks With the Girls Podcast Pinterest: Drinks With the Girls Podcast YouTube: Drinks With the Girls Channel Website: www.drinkswiththegirlspodcast.com 💌 Reach Out Got a question, idea, or just want to say hi? We’re all ears. Email us anytime: drinkswiththegirlspodcast@gmail.com

Connect with your hosts: ✨ Karen Shatafian – www.karenshatafian.com ✨ Lisa Corricello-McDowell – www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com