Advertise on podcast: Love Your Life Show: Personal Growth, Mindset, + Habits for Busy Moms

If you’ve ever noticed yourself feeling more stiff, less coordinated, or just not as strong and capable in your body as you used to, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Megan Dahlman, a strength and mobility coach who specializes in helping women move better, feel stronger, and protect their bodies as they age. Megan has such a calming, empowering way of cutting through the noise and confusion and helping you understand what your body actually needs in midlife. In this conversation, we talk about what’s really happening in our muscles, joints, and bones as we age and what you can do now to support your mobility, coordination, bone health, and overall strength. We talk about weight gain, body composition, how our minds get in the way of us getting to the gym and much more!  If you want to live a long life feeling strong, capable, and independent in your body, this episode will give you clarity, hope, and practical insight you can start using right away. This is one I will personally be coming back to again and again, and I’m so excited to share it with you. If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: How to Eliminate Hip and Back Pain with Megan Dahlman on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/300-how-to-eliminate-hip-and-back-pain-with-fitness/id1434429161?i=1000654128076&l=zh-Hans-CN How to Eliminate Hip and Back Pain with Megan Dahlman on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZcC6vTYxXC9Jnl0boKZ5j?si=Iv82_fU_RUWNggvumEqNcQ Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Megan go here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/403 Want more support? 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA and get wellness tips and tricks straight to your inbox. 💬 Share this with a friend who’s over 40 and feeling a bit creaky 👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Do one of the easy things she spoke of in this episode and tag me @smb.wellness https://instagram.com/smb.wellness and Megan on Instagram @megandalhman https://www.instagram.com/megandahlman/ so we can cheer you on! The post Strength and Mobility for Midlife Women appeared first on Susie Pettit.

If you’ve ever felt like something is wrong with you and no matter how much you try to fix yourself, it never feels like enough, this episode is for you. I talk about why that feeling exists and how we get stuck in the cycle of self-criticism and over-improvement. I also share how you can start stepping out of it so you can feel calmer, lighter, and more at peace with yourself. This is especially helpful if you’re navigating midlife, relationships, parenting, or just feeling like you’ve been trying so hard for so long. Inside this episode, you’ll learn: - Why believing you are broken keeps you stuck in shame, self doubt, and emotional exhaustion - The truth about perfection and why there is no finish line where you finally get it right - How to stop being harsh and critical with yourself when you mess up - The difference between emotional childhood and emotional adulthood - How self acceptance actually helps you grow faster, not slower - Why the relationship you have with yourself affects your confidence, parenting, and every other relationship in your life This is not about giving up on growth. It is about growing from love instead of criticism. If you have ever felt like you are too much, not enough, or secretly flawed, this episode will feel like coming home. You are not broken. And the moment you truly understand that is the moment everything can begin to change. 🎧 If you liked this episode, you’ll like this one:  The Power of Lovability: Transform Your Relationships and Self-Confidence on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-of-lovability-transform-your/id1434429161?i=1000661733596 The Power of Lovability: Transform Your Relationships and Self-Confidence on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3AjLvAVYKkgoNmw8UMCirI?si=MRpUKR3DSRG2cdHzvgfsIA 📩 Don’t miss out: I send weekly wellness tips, episode updates, giveaways and links I love: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️Get on Coach Susie’s one-on-one schedule here: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP with the foundations of emotional intelligence and mental wellness here: https://SMBwell.com/roadmap 👩🏼‍🎓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Buy Susie’s a coffee (and support small business and Susie’s mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🙏🏾 🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 🌟Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/402 📺Find and follow her on YouTube - LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS The post You Are Not Broken: How to Stop Fixing Yourself and Start Accepting Yourself appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Last week, I shared a more personal reflection on why this podcast exists. Today, I want to bring it back to coaching and answer a powerful question: after 400 episodes, what actually helps the most? In this episode, I teach the first of two foundational skills that reduce emotional suffering, reactivity, and relationship drama. This simple but profound shift will help you feel more calm, more empowered, and less at the mercy of other people’s behavior. If you’ve ever felt hijacked by your emotions or stuck in patterns you don’t like, this is where the change begins. Next week, I’ll share the second skill that completes the picture. Thanks for being the type of person who listens to shows like the Love Your Life Show. xx 🎧 If you liked this episode, you’ll like this one: Truth Bomb: It's Not About You! on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/121-truth-bomb-its-not-about-you/id1434429161?i=1000501078688 Truth Bomb: It's Not About You! on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/2TxQu1k5OVR5dsHP3UKB3x?si=m4_9lAhhQw-R4VrRAbqnSA 📩Get email inspo! Each Wednesday, I send weekly wellness tips, episode updates, giveaways and links I love: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️Work with Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP https://SMBwell.com/roadmap 👩🏼‍🎓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Buy Susie a coffee (and support her mission): https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🙏🏾 🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 🌟Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/ 📺Find and follow her on YouTube-LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS The post The Skill That Changes Everything (Emotional Maturity Part 1) appeared first on Susie Pettit.

My eldest son just got married, and for the first time in over a decade, I was in the same room as my estranged sister, my father, my ex-husband, and his entire family. In this personal life update, I'm sharing exactly how it went, including what my own tools looked like in the hardest moments and what surprised me most. I talk about clean pain versus dirty pain, what it feels like when the nervous system finally starts to trust, and why I believe change is one hundred percent possible. If you have been following my journey, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode What it actually looked like to walk into a high-stakes family event after years of estrangement How clean pain versus dirty pain showed up in real time at the wedding The turning point my ex-husband and I reached that I am so grateful for What it felt like to face my father without fear or the need to people-please The moment that brought me to tears (the good kind) when I saw my three sons together Why I believe one hundred percent that change is possible, no matter where you are right now If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: My Most Vulnerable Episode Yet on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/230-my-most-vulnerable-episode-yet/id1434429161?i=1000589799587   My Most Vulnerable Episode Yet on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kU0nc1wDkFMS0zo2ZmdY0?si=dBdypzPeTBOpUi9Vfc5fHg   Get all the links we mentioned go here👉🏾https://smbwell.com/healing-after-family-estrangement-life-update Want more support? 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA so you never miss an episode. 💬 Share this with a friend who’s navigating a tough relationship. 👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness https://instagram.com/smb.wellness so I can cheer you on! The post Healing After Family Estrangement: Life Update appeared first on Susie Pettit.

This episode is different, and I wanted to speak to you more personally than usual. I’m sharing the real reasons this podcast was born, the moments that almost broke me, and what has kept me showing up here for 400 episodes. This isn’t a how-to or a lecture, it’s a heart-to-heart conversation about being human, especially when life feels heavy. If this podcast has ever kept you company during a hard season, this episode is for you. I wanted you to know how much you matter to me and to this community. If you get even one thing from any of these 400 episodes that helps you feel more seen, more connected, more loved, more human, my heart is full. I know others make a lot of money through advertising, and are better marketers to get more clients. I’ve been told I give too much information away for free. But in my 54 years, I’ve learned this. If something feels good, do more of it. And this is really what feels good. Links Mentioned on this Episode: 🎁 Gift Susie a penny for every episode! Once or monthly. She’ll be SO EXCITED!! https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP here: https://SMBwell.com/roadmap Interested in any of the other roadmaps? Get them here: -Top Episodes on Narcissists and Narcissist Recovery https://smbwell.com/narc -Top Parenting Episodes https://smbwell.com/mom/ -Codependency and Anxiety in Relationship Episodes: https://SMBwell.com/feelbetter -Top 5 Downloaded Episodes https://smbwell.com/top5 📩 EMAIL INSPO: I send weekly wellness tips, episode updates, giveaways, and links I love: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️Get on Coach Susie’s one-on-one schedule here: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 👩🏼‍🎓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 📸Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 🌟Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/ 📺Find and follow her on YouTube-LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS The post This One is Personal. What I Want You to Know appeared first on Susie Pettit.

I am sitting down with my new friend, Dr. Danielle Dowling, for a conversation I believe every mom needs to hear. In this episode, we talk about why motherhood can feel so overwhelming even when you are doing everything “right.” We explore how invisible labor keeps women exhausted, how the 'good girl conditioning' gets activated in motherhood, and why so many moms blame themselves instead of questioning the system they are in. We had a wonderful conversation about all the things that can affect and drain you. We delved into her wonderful book, Good Girl, Bad Mom. Her book reads like a love letter to every woman who’s ever felt imperfect, overwhelmed, and like she’s supposed to smile through the struggle. It’s for women who love their kids fiercely but miss themselves. It’s for new or future Moms who want an honest, supportive roadmap before they feel blindsided. Her book (and our conversation 💝) blends warmth, humor, and psychological insight that will help you make micro-resets in your life. She provides scripts, practical tools, and even something Motherhood has never had before: a job description! One necessary step in changing the system is to name the invisible work done by us all. If you have ever felt like you are the only one struggling, like you are somehow doing motherhood wrong, please click play. It’s not you. You are not broken. And there is another way forward. If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: Mom Guilt and Overwhelm in Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/297-mom-guilt-and-overwhelm/id1434429161?i=1000651974167 Mom Guilt and Overwhelm in Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gdShEKf8sFNyy3cWqtgzf?si=i-Wb1EiFQZupRh_L7zAKWQ Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Dr. Danielle Dowling, go here 👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/399 Want more support? 💝 If you don’t have a life coach, see if Susie has room on her one-on-one calendar https://smb.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/f6bcf873/appointment/9094644/calendar/250342. She’d love to support you! 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA so you never miss an episode. 💬 Share this with a friend who’s a mom. 👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness https://instagram.com/smb.wellness so I can cheer you on! The post Invisible Labor, Good Girl Conditioning, and Why So Many Moms Feel Anxious and Exhausted appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Feeling stuck in midlife? You’re not broken. And you’re not behind. In this episode, I’m offering a gentle pause. A loving interruption. A moment to step out of autopilot and actually look at the life you’re living. If January started with hope, energy, or a word of the year… and now you feel tired, discouraged, or disconnected from that version of yourself, this conversation is for you. I walk you through how to reflect on the last three months without judgment, why most change efforts fail even when we care deeply, and what actually helps us feel calmer, more grounded, and more hopeful in midlife. This episode is not about doing more. It’s about doing what you’re doing differently in two ways. Inside, we talk about: • Why feeling stuck in midlife is more common than we admit • How self compassion creates change faster than criticism • The power of tiny daily actions and the 1 percent better approach • Why starting small is not weakness, it’s wisdom • How to choose one doable shift that future you will thank you for If you’ve been taking care of everyone else and quietly wondering when it’s your turn… this is it. You don’t need a total life overhaul. You need a pause. A breath. And one small step forward. Click play. I’m so glad you found this episode. Let’s go. ENJOY THE SHOW? If you liked this episode, you’ll like this one: Tame your Inner Critic on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/253-tame-your-inner-critic/id1434429161?i=1000616931135 Tame your Inner Critic on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QFpXdcWBmCon14djNnQnq?si=Q0SYYjPHQBug_FBmF_7Yhw Don’t miss out: Get weekly wellness tips straight to your inbox: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️Get on Coach Susie’s one-on-one schedule here: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP with the foundations of emotional intelligence and mental wellness here: https://SMBwell.com/roadmap Buy Susie a virtual coffee and keep the show AD-free! https://patreon.com/susiepettit Don’t miss an episode, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or follow on Spotify, or Amazon Music. Leave us a review in Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lawyer-stress-solution-how-to-survive-thrive-in-your/id1229434818 Get the full show notes here: https://SMBwell.com/398 Find and follow her on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS The post Feeling Stuck in Midlife: Do This Now appeared first on Susie Pettit.

What if feeling calmer, healthier, and more energized at midlife wasn’t about doing more but about stopping a few things that quietly drain you? In this episode, I share five things I stopped doing at age 50 that made an immediate difference in my mental health, energy, and overall well-being. These aren’t trendy hacks or extreme rules. They are small but powerful shifts that helped me feel lighter in my body, clearer in my mind, and more present in my life. If you started the year with good intentions but feel like life pulled you right back into old patterns, this episode is your permission slip to begin again. Inside this episode, I talk about: ⭐️One habit I stopped that dramatically improved my sleep and long-term health ⭐️Why being “normal” often works against mental wellness ⭐️The surprising mindset shift that helped me feel more confident in my body ⭐️A decision I made for my mental health that most women are never encouraged to question ⭐️How compassion, not self-criticism, creates real change This conversation is especially for women who spend more time managing everyone else’s lives than paying attention to their own. You do not need more discipline. You do not need to be perfect. You need awareness, self-trust, and a willingness to start small. 🤓Next week on the show, I’ll be talking about the power of habits and getting 1 percent better, so think of this episode as the spark that helps you decide where to begin. If you liked this episode, you’ll like this one: 5 Questions for a Quick Life Audit on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-questions-for-a-quick-life-audit-happiness-series/id1434429161?i=1000625340692 5 Questions for a Quick Life Audit on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mUd7OQEWJ0Xvl1opfGQco?si=021f43c8a5cb4ad5 📩 Don’t miss out: Get weekly wellness tips straight to your inbox: Get the weekly newsletter here: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️Get on Coach Susie’s one-on-one schedule here: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP with the foundations of emotional intelligence and mental wellness here: https://SMBwell.com/roadmap 👩🏼‍🎓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Buy Susie a coffee (and support small business and Susie’s mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🙏🏾 🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 🌟Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/ 📺THIS VIDEO IS ON YOUTUBE! Find and follow her on YouTube-LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube The post 5 Things I Stopped Doing at 50 to Feel Calmer, Healthier, and More Energetic appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Have you ever felt like the unofficial caretaker of your family or the one who must hold everything together? In this conversation with Adaku Mbagwu, founder of Healed Hero, we talk about what it really feels like to be the one everyone turns to. Whether you are an eldest daughter or simply someone who learned early to carry more than your share, this episode will help you see your patterns with more clarity and compassion. Adaku and I explore how birth order shapes our identity, the quiet pressure high performers internalize, and why so many of us grow up believing our value comes from holding everything together. The insights she brings are powerful, relatable, and deeply grounding for anyone who has ever felt tired from being the dependable one. And don’t worry - since this is the Love Your Life Show, we dig into the healing side too. Adaku walks us through the early steps of reclaiming your energy and agency so you can feel lighter in your relationships and steadier in your daily life. Her framework of strategic vulnerability is a game changer, especially for women who have armored up for decades. Much of what she shares echoes what we know about healing attachment wounds and chronic over responsibility, yet she presents it in a way that feels accessible and hopeful. If you are ready to shift out of perfectionism, people pleasing, and overfunctioning, this conversation will feel like a warm invitation to finally choose yourself. If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: How to Communicate with Narcissists and Emotionally Immature People on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-communicate-with-narcissists-and/id1434429161?i=1000711108596 How to Communicate with Narcissists and Emotionally Immature People on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FTaNbB8tCwPfI0sLyix92?si=f4e7f0afc68d4bd5 Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Adaku Mbagwu go here👉🏾https://SMBwell.com/396 Want more support? 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode. http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA 💬 Share this with a friend who’s a first born or eldest daughter. 👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness so I can cheer you on! https://instagram.com/smb.wellness The post The Eldest Daughter Pattern and How to Break It appeared first on Susie Pettit.

In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, I teach one of the most important relationship skills we were never taught: emotional validation. If you often feel the urge to fix, explain, or make things better when someone you love is struggling, this episode is for you. I have found that in learning the skills of emotional validation and emotional intelligence, the people I love (my kids, my husband, my friends, etc) feel so much more love from me. Versus, when I didn’t know these skills, our conversations and my efforts to support were wonky and they were left feeling disconnected, or worse, incompetent or shamed. Learning how to validate is how we support others without taking on their emotions or trying to change their experience, and it will change your parenting, marriage, and every close relationship you have. This episode builds directly on last week’s conversation about emotional regulation. When you can stay calm inside yourself while someone else is having big feelings, validation becomes possible. I explain what emotional validation actually is, what it is not, and why validation does not mean agreement, approval, or fixing the problem. We talk about why emotions need soothing, not solving, how to stop minimizing or invalidating feelings without realizing it, and what to say when you want someone to feel seen, heard, and supported. I share practical phrases you can use with your kids, your partner, and the people you care about most, along with guidance on how to stay present without overfunctioning or taking responsibility for someone else’s emotions. If you are a parent, partner, helper, or chronic fixer, this episode will help you build healthier emotional boundaries, deeper connection, and more emotionally safe relationships. Spoiler Alert: When they feel better in relationship with you, YOU feel better too! 💕 🎧 If you liked this episode, you’ll like this one:  Emotional Intelligence on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/12-emotional-intelligence-101/id1434429161?i=1000422477973 Emotional Intelligence on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GWK2i77mU4zmwwAVd3tc4?si=VNiD8j76QOyX6nW-kNRVWg 📩 Don’t miss out: Get weekly wellness tips straight to your inbox: Get the weekly newsletter here: https://SMBwell.com/newsletter ⭐️See if Coach Susie has room on her one-on-one schedule for you: https://smb.as.me/ 🤓FIRST TIME LISTENER? Grab the PODCAST ROADMAP with the foundations of emotional intelligence and mental wellness here: https://SMBwell.com/roadmap 👩🏼‍🎓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Buy Susie’s a coffee (and support small business and Susie’s mission): https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🙏🏾 🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 🌟Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/395 The post Emotional Validation: How to Support Without Fixing in Parenting and Relationships appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Emotional regulation is one of the most important relationship skills we were never taught. In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, Susie Pettit explains why emotional regulation is the skill that makes parenting and marriage easier and why learning to stay calm when the people you love are not can change every relationship in your life. If you tend to take responsibility for other people’s emotions, rush to fix feelings, or feel unsettled when your kids, partner, or loved ones are upset, this episode is for you. Susie shares how emotional regulation builds emotional safety, why fixing feelings often backfires, and how developing emotional resiliency helps you show up as a calmer parent, partner, and human. You’ll learn: ⭐️ What emotional regulation actually is and why it matters in parenting, marriage, and relationships with our empty nest young adults ⭐️ How to stop outsourcing your calm to the people around you ⭐️ Why feelings need support, not solutions ⭐️ A simple framework to respond to big emotions without fixing or shutting them down ⭐️ How emotional regulation supports emotional intelligence in kids, teens, and even our underfunctioning partners or young adults Whether you’re parenting young children, teenagers, adult kids, or navigating a long-term relationship, this episode will help you understand why your internal calm is the foundation for healthier, more connected relationships. If you want parenting and marriage to feel less heavy and more grounded, emotional regulation is where it starts. Thanks for listening! If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: Loving Detachment on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/286-loving-detachment/id1434429161?i=1000642743348 Loving Detachment on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bL2I9rFFHSf18buCOEZMi?si=iyNfeWilT3eAkVYHgcwZkQ Want even more? Get the most popular parenting episodes here: https://SMBwell.com/mom Get the weekly wellness newsletter for warriors here: 📩 https://SMBwell.com/newsletter Find the show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/394 ⭐️ Ready to learn this faster? Get a coach! Find out more here: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🩷Find and follow her on YouTube - LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS Or Instagram - https://instagram.com/smb.wellness The post Emotional Regulation: The Skill That Makes Parenting and Marriage Easier appeared first on Susie Pettit.

In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, I sit down with Dr. Maria Sophocles to talk about midlife sexuality and why so many women experience changes in desire as they move through perimenopause and menopause. We explore the bedroom gap, sexual burnout in women, and the many reasons women find themselves wondering why they no longer want sex in midlife. From body image and sexual desire to the role hormones and stress play, this conversation sheds light on what is actually happening and why you are not broken. We also talk about topics women are rarely given clear guidance on, including menopause and sex, medications that affect libido, and why it can feel so uncomfortable to talk to doctors and partners about sexual health. Dr. Maria shares practical, doable steps women can take today to feel more connected to their bodies and better informed about women’s sexual health after 40. In this episode, we cover: Why libido changes after menopause and during perimenopause What sexual burnout looks like and why it is so common How body image impacts sexual desire in midlife The bedroom gap and mismatched expectations between partners Prescription medications that may be affecting libido How to talk to your doctor about sex and get real support If you have ever felt confused, frustrated, or alone when it comes to sex in midlife, this episode on the bedroom gap with Dr. Maria Sophocles and Susie Pettit will help you understand what is going on and what you can do next. If you liked this show, you’ll like the past conversation I had with Dr. Maria!  Rethinking Menopause & HRT on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-menopause-hrt-your-best-self-starts-now/id1434429161?i=1000713365898 Rethinking Menopause & HRT on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TwRaLgGLrmxBzLlT7vpBu?si=Hl3CyADmTCKrAIkgD2QxPg   If you already listened to that and want more about “duty sex” and midlife sexuality, don’t miss this conversation with Dr Sonia Wright: Let's Talk about Sex with Dr. Sonia Wright on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/130-lets-talk-about-sex-with-dr-sonia-wright/id1434429161?i=1000507532904 Let's Talk about Sex with Dr. Sonia Wright on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kPZokWJmNAFnKunNP0SnK?si=bgimi9afQhGSIkxshn2ikQ   Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Dr Maria Sophocles go here 👉🏾https://SMBwell.com/393 Get her book now: https://amzn.to/49uZ7JV Want more support? 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode. http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA 💬 Share this with a friend who feels burnt out, resentful towards her husband, or is in a sexless marriage.  👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness so I can cheer you on! https://instagram.com/smb.wellness The post The Bedroom Gap with Dr. Maria Sophocles appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Have you ever wondered if you are being compassionate or if you are actually taking on responsibility that was never yours to carry? In this episode, I am talking directly to the women who are capable, thoughtful, and deeply caring, and who often feel exhausted because they are holding everything together for everyone else. This conversation was inspired by real emails from listeners who asked a powerful question. How can I tell if I am being compassionate or codependent? Together, we explore how many of us were raised to overfunction, why this pattern makes so much sense, and how it shows up in our adult relationships. I share why this is not your fault, how being a “good girl” shaped so many of our habits, and why trying to fix other people’s feelings can quietly steal your peace. Most importantly, I walk you through simple, practical ways to pause, regulate yourself, and respond differently so you can stay caring without abandoning yourself. I also share real life examples from my own day to show how this work looks in the moment, not in theory. If you are ready to stop feeling so responsible for everyone else and start creating healthier, more connected relationships, this episode is for you. If you liked this show, you’ll like these: Top episodes for moms: https://SMBwell.com/mom Top episodes related to narcissism + relationships: https://SMBwell.com/narc The Podcast Roadmap (foundational episodes on emotional intelligence and emotional maturity): https://smbwell.com/roadmap FREE QUIZ: How Codependent Am I? https://SMBwell.com/coda Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/392 ⭐️See if Coach Susie has room on her schedule: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/ 🤓Join the Love Your Life School: http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit 📰Get the Weekly Warrior Wellness Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA 🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness The post Are You Being Compassionate or Codependent? How Overfunctioning Is Costing You Your Peace appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Do you consider yourself GenX? Do you know someone who was born between 1965-1980? Don’t miss this episode inspired by a TikTok on “The Top GenX Blindspots”. Whoa! For me, and many midlife women, these are things we learned to do to survive in a system where our emotional and mental needs weren’t met. We were pretty ingenious actually, one might even say, warrior like! Yet, as adults, these adaptive, protective strategies become maladaptive and hurt us and our relationships. Join me as I explain how the way we were raised might be quietly sabotaging our emotional wellbeing and the health of our relationships. If you have ever wondered why you say you are fine when you are not, why you push your own needs aside, or why you feel responsible for everyone around you, this episode will help so much. And I don’t leave you hanging - after listening, you’ll have some simple strategies to help you care for yourself, connect more deeply, and begin shifting patterns that have been in place for decades. This episode is the perfect starting point as we begin a new year and move toward February’s relationship healing work in the Love Your Life School. Join me, fellow GenX woman, as I look at three hidden patterns that are probably playing out in your relationships and affecting your mental health. If you liked this show, you’ll love these two: Learned helplessness on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/274-overfunctioning-and-learned-helplessness/id1434429161?i=1000634097009 Learned helplessness on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MF4IJSaVSMpfNhRAb7wyN?si=JuwR8qQnRiydi4fKDz1UDw Enmeshment interview with Dr. Kate Balestrieri on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/enmeshment-codependency-with-dr-kate-balestrieri/id1434429161?i=1000733979384 Enmeshment interview with Dr. Kate Balestrieri on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/6WMOkGaEpLNHcmvF0W5JTa?si=kMALGFXuTQWzb-oFH5qDGQ Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/391 ⭐️See if Susie has room on her schedule for a one-on-one session. Let’s get to where we’re going faster! https://smb.as.me/ 🤓Quick - Join us as we dive into relationships for February 2026! The Love Your Life School Membership http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com 🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission https://patreon.com/susiepettit 🩷Find, follow and connect with her on Instagram https://instagram.com/smb.wellness 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode. 💬 Share this with a friend who’s feeling disconnected or overwhelmed. (or who often says “I’m fine” but you know she’s anything but ❤️‍🩹) The post Three Gen X Blind Spots That Hurt Our Relationships and How to Heal Them appeared first on Susie Pettit.

Anyone else out there tired? Emotionally exhausted? Ready to try something new for 2026? This is the episode for you. 💗 I sat down with Dr. Shonda Allen Hill to talk about the subtle “conversation traps” so many midlife women fall into without realizing it. If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation feeling drained, irritated, or like you just lost thirty minutes of your life you’ll never get back, click play. 🤓 These traps steal our time, amp up our stress, and keep us stuck in cycles of over-explaining, defending, and managing everyone else’s emotions. Dr. Hill breaks down why these patterns feel so exhausting and why they’re especially common for moms who are already carrying the emotional load of the whole household. But here’s the good news: communication doesn’t have to feel heavy. In this episode, Dr. Hill shares simple, doable shifts that help you reclaim your time, your energy, and your peace—even if the people around you don’t change. Her insights will show you how to say less, stress less, and sidestep the conversations that lead straight into conflict or resentment. If you’re ready to feel lighter in your relationships and more in control of your day, you’re going to love this conversation. If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: Communication Tool: Less Drama, More Connection on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/communication-tool-less-drama-more-connection/id1434429161?i=1000658725819 Drama, More Connection on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4t8QgA2UAiFkB9a9XrZszU?si=OcxoBHQsT5a83zh2aiskew Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Dr. Shonda Allen Hill go here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/390 Want more support? 📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode. http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA 💬 Share this with a friend who feels like her conversations with her husband or kids never change or who sometimes complains “We can’t talk about that” 👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/ 📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness so I can cheer you on! https://instagram.com/smb.wellness The post Avoid these Conversation Traps: Your Communication Fresh Start appeared first on Susie Pettit.