I have seen too many super smart, extremely capable women start to feel like the wheels are coming off in their 40s. But before we go blaming our hormones, our jobs, our spouses or our bodies—let’s pause.

This week, I’m joined by Courtney Townley, host of the Grace & Grit podcast and a total truth-teller when it comes to women’s health. She’s here to help us stop waging war on our bodies, stop doing everyone else’s emotional labor, and start rebuilding a life that actually works for us.

We’re talking burnout, hormone shifts, people-pleasing, body image, boundaries—and how to stop patching the cracks and start pouring a new foundation.

We cover:

✔️ Why so many women feel like they’re falling apart at midlife

✔️ How our hormones are changing and why our capacity is too

✔️ The concept of “unnecessary labor” and how to stop doing it

✔️ Why self-care has nothing to do with spa days

✔️ Why you have to be willing to disappoint some people

If your stress bucket is overflowing and you’re feeling overwhelmed—this episode is your wake-up call and your roadmap.

➡️ Learn more and connect with Courtney:

www.graceandgrit.com

@gracegrit

Grace & Grit podcast

Like what you hear?

➕ Follow Belong Wellness for more super smart and slightly sassy midlife conversations that blend science, intuition, and zero BS.

⭐️ If this episode inspired you, please share it with a friend and leave a 5-star review!

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy 🎧:

• The Midlife Working Mom Struggle is Real: Burnout, Guilt and Finding Joy
• How to Heal from Burn Out in Midlife w/Katie Bonarrigo
• I Checked All The Boxes, So Why Am I Still Unsatisfied? w/Anna K. Morris

I want to hear from you. Send me a text!

Let's stay in touch!
Follow me on Instagram: @belongwellness
Check out my website: belongwellness.com

Join my email list and I will send you my free guide: How to Eat for Healthy Hormones.

What happens when divorce, single motherhood, turning 50, and perimenopause all hit at once? You get a full-blown midlife dumpster fire.

But today’s guest, Donna Johnsen, found a lifeline in laughter. In this episode, she shares how journaling, community, and humor helped her survive the hardest season of her life—and how her Instagram account Laugh Lines and Life Goals became an unexpected source of healing for herself and others.

We talk about:

•Being blindsided by divorce and surviving the grief

•The midlife identity remix—and how to find yourself again

•Parenting teens while falling apart inside

•Using humor as a bridge, not a bypass

•Why community can save your sanity

•The backstory behind Donna’s hilarious reels

If you feel like midlife is blowing your life up—this one’s for you.

➡️ Follow Donna on Instagram: @laughlinesandlifegoals

➡️ Read her blog: laughlinesandlifegoals.com

Like what you hear?

➕ Follow Belong Wellness for more super smart and slightly sassy midlife conversations that blend science, intuition, and zero BS.

⭐️ If this episode inspired you, please share it with a friend and leave a 5-star review!

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy 🎧:

How to Help a Friend in Crisis: Real Advice from a Mom Who’s Been There with Tara Sharp

The Midlife Working Mom Struggle is Real: Burnout, Guilt and Finding Joy

I want to hear from you. Send me a text!

Let's stay in touch!
Follow me on Instagram: @belongwellness
Check out my website: belongwellness.com

Join my email list and I will send you my free guide: How to Eat for Healthy Hormones.

It’s my birthday, and we’re halfway through 2025, so I’m doing a little mid-year reflection and inviting you to join me.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing what’s felt aligned this year, where I’ve made some changes, how my word of the year is going, and why launching this podcast has felt both vulnerable and fulfilling.

Plus: I need your help with a birthday goal I’ve set for the podcast… and there’s a fun little giveaway in it for you. 🎁

I cover:

•My 2025 intentions and how it’s going so far

•Perimenopause, therapy breakthroughs, and changes to my fitness regimen

•What I’ve learned about energy, mindset, and FUN

•A giveaway to celebrate turning 48 (and how you can win!)

🎈Want to help me hit my birthday goal? Give my podcast a 5-star rating and send me a screenshot! I will personally thank you and enter you to WIN a special gift from me!

Resources & Links

➡️ Cathy Heller’s book: Abundant Ever After

This is an affiliate link. I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking this link, but rest assured I only recommend what I stand behind. Thank you for supporting a solopreneur!

Like what you hear?

➕ Follow Belong Wellness for more super smart and slightly sassy midlife conversations that blend science, intuition, and zero BS.

⭐️ If this episode inspired you, please share it with a friend and leave a 5-star review!

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy 🎧:

• How I Changed the Way I Set Intentions This Year
• Perimenopause (Jessica’s Version)

I want to hear from you. Send me a text!

Let's stay in touch!
Follow me on Instagram: @belongwellness
Check out my website: belongwellness.com

Join my email list and I will send you my free guide: How to Eat for Healthy Hormones.