The Midlife Reckoning and What's Next? with Life and Business Coach Jen Marples
Show Snapshot:
Forget midlife crisis. Life coach and midlife podcaster Jen Marples calls the moment between what’s now and what’s next a midlife reckoning—a time when many of us feel called to do more but still struggle to identify what that looks like. On today’s show, Jen offers 5 ideas to help us answer the question—what’s next? Jen taps into 25 years of marketing and business coaching expertise to offer prompts to help us dive deep into what lights us up and where and how we should devote our time. And Jen is walking the talk. After years of hustle culture and grinding, she hung up her corporate hat to follow her dream of helping other women launch their businesses and live midlife on their terms. Bonus! Jen shares why her podcast tagline is “You’re Not Too F***ing Old!”
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Quotable:
Something happens at midlife, and it's not a crisis. It's more of a reckoning. We're on the hamster wheel. We didn't really question what we were doing, it was like more is more is more, and achieve, achieve, achieve, marriage, kids, all of that. And we'd never step back to see, were we happy? Do we like what we're doing?
Transcript:
Katie Fogarty 00:03
Welcome to A Certain Age, a show for women who are unafraid to age out loud. Beauties, it's March. Or as they say in the corporate world, the end of Q1. Happily, as a podcaster I rarely, if ever, need to say businessy things like Q1. But I am all for looking at the calendar, taking stock of one's days, goals and plans and asking myself, am I ready to roll into Q2, 3, and 4? Or, as we call it over here on A Certain Age pod, the rest of our lives. My guest today is a woman who means business, the business of helping entrepreneurs launch and helping women in midlife redefine what success looks like. Jen Marples is a 25 year marketing, PR and business veteran who hung up her corporate hat to follow her dream of helping other women launch their dream businesses and live life on their own terms. She's an entrepreneur, life and business coach for women, podcaster and motivational speaker, and she is one of the many generous and supportive women I've met in the midlife space since I launched the show. I've been a guest on her podcast, The Jen Marples Show, I'm excited to host her today on A Certain Age, and to dive into the steps she uses to guide women in answering the question, what's next? Welcome, Jen.
Jen Marples 01:16
Thank you, Katie. What a wonderful introduction.
Katie Fogarty 01:19
I'm so excited. We've had the good fortune of getting to hang out in New York, we went to a couple of menopause events together. I got to sit next to you one morning at a breakfast, we learned we have so much in common, you know, marketing, PR, working for ourselves, launching businesses, you know, trying to parent teens, and really trying to inspire women in midlife. So I'm so excited to have you, you're such a delight, and you have so much expertise to share with our listeners. But you know, sort of before we get going on some of the steps that you recommend people take when they're looking at a pivot, when they're looking at what's next, I would love to hear about your own pivot, you know, what made you leave your PR company and pivot to business and life coaching?
Jen Marples 02:03
All right, so I'll try to keep it brief. But yes, I'll try to do the CliffsNotes version, we'll see where it goes. So yeah, I was in, you know, public relations and marketing for 25 years. I mean, that's what I did. And you know, I had a bunch of different iterations of those jobs, you know, as an in-house PR person, I worked at big corporations, or at big global PR firms. And then in 2003, I decided I can't work for other people anymore and that's when I started my journey to becoming an entrepreneur when I launched my PR firm, which was called Koa Communications. And that was in San Francisco. And I started with one wine clients, and then slowly built it up to having tons of clients, employees, lots of responsibility, growing, growing, growing. And I like to say that as the company was growing so as my waistline, because in the midst of all of that, I popped out three kids. So I currently have a 17-year-old and twin 15-year-olds. But in the midst of that, you know, things were going fine with one kid but then when I went from one to three, living at the corner of Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco, and my husband is also a business owner. You know, shit got real, and shit kind of hit the fan. And I started feeling those effects of the, okay, am I taking on too much? I'm running a firm, I've got three babies, of course I was involved in nonprofits, I'm a wife, I'm a friend, you know, etc, etc, etc. Doing all that we were sort of conditioned to do, right? We were all like, 15-20 years ago was like, Hey, she can do it all. And you know, and she looks great doing it! Until, you know, you don't look so great. And I remember being at like a dinner party once with one of my friends and I was, I would use this joke, Katie, that I would vibrate from the stress. And she's like Jesus Christ, Marples just calm the fuck down. I'm like I can't calm down, I have no off switch! But I kept going. And when, I think my son was six, and we finally left the city and just moved north over the bridge, you know, to the quote unquote, suburbs. And I still had my firm, and I was going, still going gangbusters, and my husband looked at me one day and he's like, alright woman, something's gotta give. I'm like yelling and screaming at my kids. I'm yelling and screaming at my husband, my clients. The external world is getting the best of me. Everybody in my internal world was getting the absolute worst. And all of you listening who ran businesses and had small children, you can all relate to the, can you please just go to bed, please? What is that book, like go the fuck to sleep? Like can you just go to sleep? I have like 10 more hours worth of work to do, I don't know how I'm going to do all this. And so I took the, the advice of my husband. I had to step back and really look at my life and go okay, I'm going to start slowly rolling out of this and see what happens. So over the course of a year, I wound my business down, didn't take on anybody new, finished with one last project, and then I was done. And then guess what, Katie? I was left with myself. And so, that was a scary place the be.
Katie Fogarty 04:34
Yes. No, but you are very good company, Jen. So this was, you were hanging out with the right person, at least.
Jen Marples 05:12
I was hanging out with the right person. And so that journey, it was really a few years of becoming, you know, getting quiet and really listening to myself. But I did have to bring in sort of a team and by team I meant like my therapist to unpack like, Okay, what's next, because I just shut down my business. And all of us who grew up who are at midlife, you know, it was all like achieving, achieving, achieving, next, next, next. And so much of our, just of who we are and like, our ego was wrapped into what we did. So I really had to face that even though what I was really good at, was killing me. And I'd also burned myself into the ground healthwise I didn't listen to myself, I had no feeling in my fingers and toes. I was exhausted, couldn't get out of bed on a Saturday morning. And I'm a very active person, but I'm like, nobody touch me, talk to me, till 12 noon on a Saturday. So I promptly went to a naturopath and went to see my doctors, and started slowly putting Humpty back together again. But at the time, it was like, you know, standing up from sitting down working, and then seeing stars and almost fainting. And like, isn't that just like normal working mom stuff? Turns out, no, it's not. So I was like on the verge of like losing my hair, I had all this stuff going wrong. So, I built myself back up. And then I got to a point where I was like, Okay, what's next? I feel like I had a sturdy foundation to then now go, what do I want to do? So that led me to sort of coaching training, which didn't seem like a big stretch, because of all the consulting I've done for all these years. Except in coaching, the first day, they said, Let me tell you right now that coaching is not consulting, you don't get to tell people what to do. I was like, What? What am I doing? I love telling people what to do. So that was that. So I went through this rigorous coaching training, that led me to yoga teacher training. I don't teach yoga, but I love a lot of the yoga philosophy. And then I started, and I will be honest, with all that exploration, I did still do a little bit of PR consulting on the side. But it wasn't a big deal, I kind of just went out to my network and I said I'm going to low key, on the down low, help, who needs help? So we had a couple clients, just to get some momentum back in the working world, but they're really lovely clients. And you know, I was choosing what I was doing, and it wasn't crazy, as I was doing all this other exploration. So then a few years ago, I started hosting women's events. On a hunch, going you know, I feel like women really need each other, and this was pre COVID, but you know, social media was really taking off and I felt like women were feeling really disconnected and alone, especially at this midlife phase. And on a whim, two weeks out, I said, I'm going to host a dinner party at my house, I'm going to invite women over and we're going to do coaching lights. And within like 10 minutes of having these women over, people were literally sharing their deepest darkest secrets, women were crying, and one shared that she had cancer, one shared that she was going through bankruptcy, one shared that she was afraid to start a business because her mother was telling her she was too old. And I was looking around going damn, I'm really onto something. Because in our connected world, women were feeling really disconnected. And especially living where I live, it's you know, a sort of affluent community, everybody thinks that everyone has their shit together. And let's be honest, Katie, you know, nobody has their shit all together. But no one was getting real and talking about it. No one was saying the things that we all need to hear, that life is hard. We're all dealing with aging parents, we're dealing with spouses, people are getting divorced, people are having problems with their kids. And so I kept going with these events. And then, it's still doing some PR, getting through COVID, and then my events went online, they went virtual. And then about two years ago, I woke up and I was like the Holy Spirit himself was coming through me and he was just like, Jen, alright, it's go time. You're going all in on supporting women. And so from that moment on, like that day, I should say, I went to my desk still in my pajamas, and I didn't leave my desk till that night. I just started cranking out content. I went on Instagram, I'm like, This is who I am. I claimed my age. I was 51 at the time. Said, This is who I am, this is what I did, this is what I intend to do and how I intend to serve. And so I didn't know where it was all gonna go. I just kept following the breadcrumbs and I got a lot of response and women were like Great, you know, I need this information, I need to know I'm not alone. And then I hired myself a business coach to then give me the courage to walk away once and for all from PR because if I didn't do that, I was just going to keep doing the PR, not allowing myself the time and space to really explore what I knew deep down inside that I needed to do. So I did that, I launched my podcast September of 2021. It's called The Jen Marples Show. I came up with my tagline: You're Not Too Fucking Old. The second piece of that is to do whatever the fuck you want. So I feature midlife female entrepreneurs. Katie, you were on the show. And it has just been this amazing journey ever since. So, I do business and life coaching. I love speaking to women. And so everything that I'm going to share with all of you later are these steps that I took to get me to the place that I am right now. And I'll just I'll take a breath there, Katie, because I know I just, I laid a lot on...
Katie Fogarty 10:19
No, I love hearing people's backstory. What you shared, it just feels so familiar. There's sort of this race track that you're on, you know, it's hard to get off because it looks good on paper, you built a business, you ran it for 12 years, every single one of the listeners, you know, who's tuning in with us today, has been on their own track. You know? Whatever it is. You know, they're stay-at-home-mom track. Their corporate work track. And it's hard to shift lanes. But we get to a point, where sometimes we need to. We need to evolve. We need to try new things on. I love that you shared that you've really decided to focus on helping other women. I think it's so inspiring. And it's you kind of where we're at in midlife, we share this in common. So I love hearing the backstory of how you got where you are today, because it's always so fascinating to me. You know, quick question, before we move, we're going to talk about the four or five steps that you're going to recommend to our listeners for getting in action on whatever it is they want next, and how to uncover that. But before we dive into that, I do want to ask you--why does it take it into midlife for many of us to focus on what lights us up? Versus, you know, what looks good on paper?
Jen Marples 11:34
I think it's a couple of different things. And it's funny, I was just having this conversation with somebody this morning. 'Cause she was like, you know, same thing, she's in a legal job, she was a lawyer and hated it, hated it. And she's like, why didn't I know then what I know now? And I said, there's no, you know, accidents on the journey. And I really think something happens at midlife, and it's not a crisis. I think it's more of like a reckoning. We've been through, you know, all these decades of what society told us we needed to do, like you're saying, it's, we're on the hamster wheel, we didn't we didn't really question what we were doing, it was like more is more is more and achieve, achieve, achieve, marriage, kids, all of that. And we'd never step back to see, were we happy? Do we like what we're doing? We never question. We kind of, I think we all thought we had to suffer to get through all of it. And I think what happens at midlife is that we have this perspective. And I'm not gonna, I'm not a doctor, but I've heard some women speak on the fact that our brains do change and we sort of lose this ability to multitask. And we get, we can be really amazingly singularly focused on something. And I think what comes out of that is like, we desperately need to do something that's connected to a passion. And that doesn't mean you have to burn everything down if you're doing your nine to five, you need that to pay your bills, and there is just no way out. It can also be adding something in on the side that brings you joy. So just kind of stepping back into those things and exploring if it's painting and ballet dancing, or horseback riding, whatever that is. I think we are called for more at this midlife phase. And I think there's like a confluence of things that happen. We've all been doing something for a really long time, probably career wise. We've all been, if you've gotten married younger, we've all been married, or maybe you're divorced. So there's a lot of these reckonings. Some women are dealing with health crisis, or maybe a spouse, or somebody else is dealing with that, there's all these sort of things that kind of are these little breadcrumbs or these little clues that tell us that it's time to start thinking about something new. And I talked to so many women, and I wish I had the science behind it. But I know there are women out there who are talking about it. But it's that midlife recognizing we've always, we've done something one way for a really long time. And the other thing too, which is really, you got two kids out the door, I'm about to send a kid off in a year, that I think there's this now what? Okay, I was wife, mother, am I still married? Am I not? Are my kids out the door? And you know, there's a lot of us who've, you know, been divorced or lost a spouse. So that's also a reckoning, like, what do I do? Or women who've taken time off from work and kids are out and they're like, wait, I feel great. Like I'm part of this world. Now, what's next?
Katie Fogarty 13:06
What's next? Absolutely.
Jen Marples 13:20
A lot of things that kind of happened. What was next?
Katie Fogarty 14:40
Absolutely, what's next is such an important question. We are heading into a quick break. But when we come back, we're going to talk about how women can identify what's next, especially when they're feeling called for more. [AD BREAK] Jen, we went into the break, you used a phrase that really caught my ear. You said women often feel in midlife like they're called for more. I absolutely agree. I love this. For listeners who are thinking I am feeling like I want to be doing more right now, I want to walk through a couple of the steps that you shared with me that you use to guide women to answer the question, what's next? So step number one, go.
Jen Marples 16:20
Alright, step number one, and you need to listen to this and embrace it. Realize that you're not too fucking old to do whatever the fuck you want. Just know that. I'm 53, I think I have 50 more years left. So when you think about it that way, you're like, What in the hell am I going to do with all those years? So really just embrace that. So that's kind of step one. The second part of that is stop caring what people think. So once and for all, we are at midlife, we are done caring what people think because it keeps you trapped, it keeps you on a box, it keeps you from trying something new, it keeps you from questioning if you like how your life is running right now. Just stop caring. Because guess what? No one's thinking about you anyway. So just go do the thing that you want to do and understand, and really understand this, that you get to be happy. And you get to do what you want. So that's number one, just embracing it and embrace your age. Don't be ashamed of your age. Age out loud, like Katie says, age out loud.
Katie Fogarty 17:24
Exactly. You have to get your mindset into the right place. Like if you think you can't, you're right. So if you think you're too old, you're correct, you know, but if you open yourself up to the fact that I am not too old and truly internalize this, you are creating possibilities for yourself. I love that. So now that we've gotten our mindset in gear, you know, we've worked on truly internalizing this idea that anything is possible. How do we get in action tactically, what would be the next logical progression?
Jen Marples 17:55
The next logical step is taking the time to think. And this requires spending time alone. So a lot of us, most of us, are slaves to our schedules, our children, spouses, work, whatever it is. We're going, going, going, going going, and you have to be intentional about taking time to think. Because if you don't, you're going to wake up five years later, and you're going to be on that same hamster wheel doing the exact same thing. So how do you do this? It can start by a simple walk every morning for 15 minutes. So you're actually doing two things at once, you're getting some exercise, but you're thinking. So as much as Katie and I want you listening to our podcasts, you've got to go on these walks and spend this time in silence. You've got to start getting comfortable being alone and listening to yourself. Because if you have constant input from TV, podcast shows, friends, work, you're never going to have time to think. You have to be very intentional about it. So that's kind of step one in the taking the time. If you can do this, and this was what I did, try to go away, try to get out of your zone, go like spend 24 hours somewhere, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Go stay in someone's pool house. That's what I did, I stayed in my mother in law's pool house for three days alone. Katie, do you know how much time that is when you have three days alone? It's
Katie Fogarty 19:12
It's like dog years. It's like, it's like a month, right?
Jen Marples 19:17
Yeah, it's like a month because you're like, Wait, there's no laundry, there's no kids, there's no this, there's no that. So if you can't, you know, if you don't have a mother in law with a pool house, you know, go to a Motel 6. Again, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. But go spend time alone.
Katie Fogarty 19:30
You can even go, you can even go to your library. I have a phenomenal local library in my town. And sometimes I go there when I want to do writing work, you know, because it just gives me the chance to be in a new environment, which makes your neurons fire a little bit differently. Jen, quick question for you. Do you recommend doing, you said a daily walk. What's the sort of time to think that you recommend? Is it, is it once a week? Is it small 15 minute increments at a day? Is it you know, maybe quarterly you do big kind of two to three day getaways? What do you recommend in terms of planning and time for thinking?
Jen Marples 20:07
Yeah, I definitely start with 15 minutes a day because I want things to be achievable. And if you've never really start with yourself, then let's start small. So I, it could even be five minutes, but aim for five to 15 minutes a day. And so if you can combine that with a walk, great, if not just you know, get everybody out the house and get yourself into a quiet space. And just sit with yourself in those thoughts. You can even, you could put on some like classical music or something like that, I'm not saying you have to be completely quiet, but you just want to be alone. I add in journaling there too, that would be like a little sub-point there, if you can sit with those thoughts, and then start to journal. So make, I like to recommend bite sized pieces. So if it's three days a week, five days a week, start with what you can do, and then slowly add on. I now do on a Monday morning, I will sit with myself for one hour. And that is how I sit with for my week. And I get myself ready for what's coming, I reflect, I do my journaling. And I listen to myself because you have to make the time to listen to yourself. So I would recommend five to 15 minutes on a daily, you know, Monday through Friday, let's go for Monday through Friday.
Katie Fogarty 21:12
Okay, perfect. That sounds doable. But you know, so once you've sat with yourself, and you've identified, you know, kind of areas where you're excited, or you've gotten yourself jazzed up about, you know, a project or making changes, you know, how do we incorporate those new things into our lives, because, you know, as we shared at the top of the show, we're busy, we all got a lot going on, we have kids and husbands and lives that are rich, we have a lot of obligations, how do we then go from the thinking to the doing?
Jen Marples 21:48
So you have to first and foremost understand that if you really want to make a change, and it means a lot to you, you're going to find the time, it's a little bit of tough love, it's sort of like, you know, if you want to get fit, you're gonna have to make time to go to the gym. And the truth is, we're all busy, but you can find the time. So it goes into my number three, which is to really look at your calendar, and look at how you're spending your time. Guaranteed, there's a lot you can remove from your calendar. So I call it sort of my Ugh test. It's like if you look at your calendar on a Sunday night, and you look at the week, and if something makes you go 'Ugh,' get rid of it. If you can, obviously a work meeting you might not be able to get rid of or something for your kid in school you can't get rid of, but if it's a friend that you've been having coffee with, or it's an event that you have no interest in going to but you're just saying yes because you feel like you have to, women are so great about saying yes to things that we don't want to do, start saying No. And it's a full sentence, just No, I can't do it. Because that then opens up space to then start putting things in that bring you joy, and that make you happy. So that goes into number four. So when you're in this exploratory phase, it's not like you're going to spend this time alone and start journaling and go, you know, the heavens aren't going to open up and Jesus himself is not going to say, Oh, this is what you're meant to do. But what you do get to do now is really since you've opened up some space, is do things that bring you joy. So go hear, you know, an author speak, go see an art exhibit, go sign up for a class, and it doesn't have to mean anything. The only thing you're doing is doing things that bring you joy, because by doing one thing like that, it's going to open up your mind to well, gosh, that was really fun. Maybe I want to go do this other thing. And an example here is years ago when I, you know, been wanting to do a podcast for years and years. And I went into the Mission District in San Francisco by myself because there was a gal I really liked who was doing a live podcast recording in this really edgy part of the city and I went by myself. And my husband's like, You're going by yourself? And I said, Yes I am. Because I'm opening myself up to possibility. And I had this really amazing night. It didn't mean, it didn't have to mean anything, except that I was going out as me. Not a mom, a worker, a wife, anything. I was going out as Jen, a woman of this world. And then that led me to doing other events and taking other classes and going and doing new things. So it's really important because I know a lot of type A, all of us, want everything that we do to mean something or that it has to mean this is the direction I'm going in. No, just open up things to serendipity and chance and do things just because they're interesting to you and that is going to be so informative and start you on this path of discovery.
Katie Fogarty 24:35
I absolutely agree with that. I mean I've had that experience in my own life. I, you know, I just had a conversation today with somebody that you know, I got connected to through a friend and you know, when we hopped on the phone I thought you know, I don't know where this is going to land but we wound up really connecting and I'm inviting her on the show for a future date. She's going to talk about travel. And it was just such a, you know, again, it was this moment of serendipity and who knows? Who knows what will happen with that relationship or that connection, or what it might lead to, and I've had the experience of, you know, going and speaking at events, and then getting somebody in the audience to invite me to their organization, to, you know, to share content. So you really, when you put yourself into new circumstances, and connect with new people, you know, sometimes you simply just have your synapses fire a little faster that day, and it feels terrific. But sometimes it can open a new door, and create the opportunity for new sort of, you know, career or personal development. So that kind of, you know, makes me think that this is sort of, Jen, how you and I connected. We're in a new midlife community and connections, what role does it play? What role does meeting new people play in helping to create what's next?
Jen Marples 25:47
Oh, God, I'm so and that's like, number five on my tips is getting, getting involved with new communities and making new connections. And to your point, that New York event that we went to was mind blowing on so many different levels, because we're creating this new community. And it's so important to align yourself, the single most important thing probably I'll say today is find your people. Find your people and they're out there. And so if you go out with the intention of I'm going to find new, amazing women, and I'm going to surround myself with women who are interested in things I'm in- it can be whatever could be podcasting, it could be ballet, it could be, you know, book, writing, whatever it is - wonderful women are waiting for you out there. And it's so important because at this phase, a lot of women, I was actually just talking about this with somebody else today, find that it's hard to make friendships, I hear this a lot from women. I feel like it's the exact opposite. But again, it's all about being intentional and going into situations going, like that New York situation, Katie, that we were in, we had no idea who was all showing up. I didn't know you were going to be there. I didn't know most of those women were going to be there. And so we put ourselves in the way of opportunity, in the way of meeting new fabulous women, and all of us went out from that particular event, to have wonderful connections and have deeper relationships because of it. And so I just urge everyone, if what you're doing right now feels stale, or your networking groups aren't really inspiring, there are inspiring groups everywhere. You just have to go find them. And if you don't find them, talk to me and Katie, we'll point you in theright direction, we'll get you into some groups, we'll get you going. Because it's really I think, the single most important thing. Like I have made wonderful connections virtually, when you know during COVID, and have close relationships with women I've never met in person. It's very powerful.
Katie Fogarty 27:37
Yeah, absolutely. And this is, this goes beyond simply career. So for somebody who's sitting here thinking like, I don't really want to be in a networking group, you don't need to be, you know, you could join a runner's club, you can join volunteers at your, you know, your church or synagogue, in your, in your community, you could take a new exercise class at a different studio than you normally go to, and just start to, you know, pull new people into your orbit. I just, you know, I'm an extrovert, I get so much energy from spending time in the company of amazing women. That's why you're on the show. That's why I've spoken to, you know, hundreds of women on this podcast, because every single time I connect with somebody on the show, I learn something new, I feel more energized when I leave. And I agree with you, that pulling new people into our lives is a, just such a dynamic way of helping you figure out what's next because you're inspired and energized by being in a company of amazing women.
Jen Marples 28:34
100%. I'm glad you mentioned that, like my closest friends, I go to a couple different yoga studios. There's this whole community and quite frankly, I don't even know what half these people do for work. It's like we don't care, because we're connecting on this different level. So communities abound, yeah there's hiking clubs and yoga studios, there's book clubs, there's so many different things to do, and just put yourself in the way of those opportunities and just watch your network expand. And I'm very much like you Katie, like, I'm going to be on a high after we get off this podcast. I love talking to people, love it, and it lifts me up. And I think that's like the secret sauce. It's actually why Katie and I are doing podcasts, just so we can talk to amazing women.
Katie Fogarty 29:13
100%.
Jen Marples 29:14
Our secret is out.
Katie Fogarty 29:15
Exactly. Jen, we're nearing the end of our time. We're going to be heading into a speed round in a few minutes. But I just wanted to ask you a question that I ask many of my guests on the show, could you be doing what you're doing now, could you be helping other women launch businesses and rethink their second acts if you were younger? Or, did it take get to midlife to feel like you had the confidence and the excitement around this work?
Jen Marples 29:44
I think in this current iteration it took being at midlife and I will say there has been a through line throughout my career of helping women. I was always the one like who prepped people for interviews, this is how you get a job, go to a networking event, this is what you do. And of course, you know, with my PR firm, I was always telling women, you know, clients, you know, how to start their own businesses. So there has been that little bit of a through line, but nothing really crystallized, knowing that this was my exact mission in life, until midlife. There were seeds, and this is just a little sidebar, if you're out there ladies, there are, you're going to find out that there have been, there's seeds that have been planted and that have, you're going to see through lines throughout your life. So when you come into what you want to do next, you're going to know that it's most likely already been there and it's already within you. I just think again, at this this midlife turning point for me, things really crystallized and it's taking it to a whole new level.
Katie Fogarty 30:43
I love that.
Jen Marples 30:44
It's also stepping into a real confident Jen that I couldn't have been at 30 because I'm, warts and all, I'm showing up 100% who I am, none of us were showing up exactly who we are, or we were, when we were 30.
Katie Fogarty 30:59
Yes, I totally agree with that. I love this notion of seeds and looking what's sort of been sprinkled throughout your past. You know, I would say to somebody who's listening right now who's thinking what's next, you can ask yourself, you know, two things, What have I always loved doing that I let go of, you know, and you might resurrect that that passion or that interest? Or, if you're looking at what's next, you could ask yourself, What have I always wanted to do that I haven't gotten to yet? And for me the answer was podcasting. And that's how I got myself in action. 35 days before I turned 51 and I am you know, I think asking yourself both these questions can really be revealing and help, you know, put you on the path to growing those seeds and creating your next act. Jen, this has been such a treat you've offered so many wonderful recommendations for people to get going and get in action. We are closing with our speed round. This is just a quick, high energy way to end. I know that you're high energy and this is going to be a lot of fun. So one to two word answers. All right, let's do this. Launching my coaching business and podcast was:
Jen Marples 32:09
Fucking amazing.
Katie Fogarty 32:11
Dream podcast guest:
Jen Marples 32:12
Gabby Reece.
Katie Fogarty 32:15
Ooh, I love it. Okay, you're a solopreneur now. What's your number one planning or organizational hack to keep the trains on the tracks?
Jen Marples 32:24
Sticky Notes.
Katie Fogarty 32:25
I have clumps of those everywhere. Pivots and reinvention are marathons, not a sprint. What lifestyle or fitness practice fuels you?
Jen Marples 32:35
Yoga every damn day.
Katie Fogarty 32:37
I love it. Okay, a skill I acquired in midlife that eluded me when I was younger?
Jen Marples 32:43
Speaking on stages.
Katie Fogarty 32:44
Nice, I agree. I used to be afraid and now I'm like, pass me the mic. Okay, your mantra is you're not too fucking old to do what lights you up. What's the last new thing you tried or learned?
Jen Marples 32:56
Tik tok.
Katie Fogarty 32:57
Ah, I haven't gotten there yet. All right, I'll put that on my list. Okay, finally, your one word answer to complete the sentence, As I age I feel:
Jen Marples 33:07
Motherfucking unstoppable.
Katie Fogarty 33:09
Oooh. Unstoppable is a great one. I love it. All right. Thank you, Jen. This has been so fun to hear about your work, your career, your evolution and your guidance on how other women can figure out what's next for themselves. Before we say goodbye, how can our listeners find you, your coaching service, and podcast?
Jen Marples 33:29
I'm all over the place on social media @JenMarples. You can go to jenmarples.com. That's a great place to start. I love welcoming people into my community. I've got a newsletter that I send out weekly, I've got the Jen Marples Show podcast, so I've got a lot of ways to come hang out with me and I encourage you to do so. Where Katie and I hang out it's a lot of fun.
Katie Fogarty 33:52
I love it. Thank you so much, Jen. This wraps A Certain Age, a show for women who are aging without apology. Thank you for listening in and being a friend of the show. Before I say goodbye, a quick favor. I would love a written review over on Apple podcasts. Yes the star ratings help, but written reviews really matter. You can share what you learned and why you tune in, mention a favorite guest, talk about how the show makes you feel. Perhaps A Certain Age makes you happier, smarter, more inspired, or simply like you're hanging out with some fun friends. Special thanks to Michael Mancini who composed and produced our theme music. See you next time and until then, age boldly beauties.