You Have Permission to Pivot - Wendy Valentine on Midlife Reinvention | EP229
Wendy Valentine was 45, in the middle of her second divorce, deep in debt, and dealing with black mold toxicity and chronic Lyme disease, on top of menopause, when her dog, her cat, and her brother all died within six weeks of each other. She hit her breaking point crying on a cold bathroom floor. That is where her midlife reinvention began. On Wellness Junkies, host Amy Sherman sits down with Wendy to talk through how she rebuilt her entire life from there.
Wendy is an internationally published author of Women Waking Up, founder of Midlifology™, and host of The Midlife Makeover Show. She has appeared on Good Day New York and CBS News Los Angeles. She walks Amy through the vision that pulled her off that bathroom floor, and the plan she built from it that led to a job offer within four weeks.
The two dig into self-care for women over 40 during midlife reinvention, from the exact words Wendy tells herself when her inner critic gets loud to the ACE method she uses for grief and anxiety. She also connects boundary setting for women to how you talk to yourself first, especially on the hard days.
Press play to hear how Wendy went from a U-Haul and a new job in Chicago to an RV crossing the country, and why she says giving yourself permission to pivot matters more than having a plan.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome and Wendy Valentine's Impressive Bio
01:35 Weekly High That Started With Surgery and Grief
05:08 Wendy's Meltdown and the Start of Midlife Reinvention
11:02 How Her Podcast Led to Writing Her Book
15:29 Knowing When Midlife Reinvention Beats Pushing Harder
19:53 Be Your Own Best Friend and the B3 Method
26:15 The ACE Method for Emotional Overload
30:47 Boundary Setting for Women and Learning to Say No
41:45 Curly Hair Routine for Women Over 40
46:52 Favorite Self Care Hack and Where to Find Wendy
About Wendy Valentine:
Wendy Valentine is an internationally published author of Women Waking Up: The Midlife Manifesto for Passion, Purpose, and Play, an inspiring book that became a #1 Amazon New Release, Founder of Midlifology™, and Keynote Speaker. She’s also the host of the top 1% globally ranked podcast, The Midlife Makeover Show, inspiring women worldwide to embrace midlife as a powerful new beginning.
After navigating divorce, menopause, job loss, debt, and an empty nest—all at once—Wendy stopped living on autopilot and started designing a life that finally felt like her own. Her journey from breakdown to breakthrough fuels everything she does.
Today, Wendy empowers women to kick fear to the curb, reconnect with their purpose, and create bold, joy-fueled lives. She’s been featured on Good Day New York, CBS News Los Angeles, NBC News Philadelphia, and numerous top-rated podcasts and media outlets, where she shares her empowering message that midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s a catalyst.
Splitting her time between Portugal and traveling the USA in her RV, Wendy is living proof that life gets better—not smaller—with age.
Read Women Waking Up by Wendy Valentine
Listen To Episode 229:
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Wellness Junkies is a relatable wellbeing, beauty, and lifestyle brand founded by sisters-in-law Amy Sherman and Katie Chandler. They explore and explain beauty, skincare, nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and more with an approachable style aimed at helping everyone achieve a lifestyle to help you feel your best.
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