July 7, 2024 • 33 mins
Welcome to the Ladies Who Leap podcast with Lisa Andria, Life Transformation Coach. In this episode, Lisa talks with Susan Wheeler, a Lifestyle Entrepreneur passionate about advocating for women's physical and mental health.
Susan shares her inspiring journey from overcoming personal hardships to helping women over 50 embrace the next phase of their lives with confidence and purpose.
Discover how Susan's experiences and her book, "The Lemonade Diet", encourage women to persist and persevere, and learn practical tips on navigating life changes and aging gracefully.
Join us for a heartfelt conversation that highlights the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, finding your true self, and living a life full of energy and fulfillment. Don't miss out on Susan's valuable insights and the exciting launch of her new community, https://thegoodnewsgirls.com/, dedicated to supporting women over 50.
Susan Wheeler is on Facebook, and her new community of women website is www.thegoodnewsgirls.com. Join the community and receive exclusive access to their virtual programs, special guests, live Q&A, and book discussions. Enjoy membership discounts, priority registration for events, retreats, travel adventures, and more.
To learn more about Lisa Andria, visit https://www.ladieswholeap.com/ and set up a Leap Strategy call to start your journey to a fulfilling new chapter filled with passion and purpose.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi, I'm Lisa Andrea, Transformation Life Coach.
Welcome to the Ladies Who Leap podcast, where guests share their inspiring stories
of leaping out of their comfort zone, confidence and power, and into a life
of purpose and fulfillment.
Let's listen to their life-changing stories so that we can all learn how to
(00:22):
gain the courage to take a leap of faith into a life that we love,
so that we can all be Ladies Who Lead. Let's get started.
Hi, welcome to Ladies Who Lead podcast. Today, I'd like to introduce today's
(00:43):
guest. It's Susan Wheeler.
Susan is a lifestyle entrepreneur.
Dogs, hiking, travel, writing, and photography are a few of her favorite things.
She lives with her husband on their beautiful organic farm in Connecticut and
is also a mom of four fabulous adults and seven grandchildren.
(01:03):
Susan has a certification in gut health nutrition and has recently become certified in Pilates.
She is passionate about advocating for women's physical and mental health and
helping them improve with age.
Susan is the author of The Lemonade Diet, an inspirational resource encouraging
women to persist and persevere when life hands them lemons.
(01:25):
Her motto is, it's never too late to change your life.
Welcome to the podcast.
I just want to say, Susan, that we went to school, we went to high school together
in town in Connecticut. So that's how I know Susan.
And I've seen your transformation through life and it's been absolutely amazing.
So I thank you for joining me today.
(01:47):
Oh, thank you for having me. And we won't say when we went to high school, but we did.
It's hard to imagine. I know, huh? But even though I went to high school with
you and I've known you throughout the years, when I read your Lemonade Diet, the Lemonade Diet book,
and by the way, it is very inspirational. Everyone should get it.
(02:10):
I found out so much more about yourself and your early years and what things
happened to you and how it shaped you.
Can you talk about your lemons life experience and how it started to shape you?
Well, there's so many things, there's so many layers, right?
But basically, the reason I wrote the book was because I wanted people to not
(02:35):
look at me now and think that I'm this or that or successful or an athlete or
any of the things that people would look at me and think.
I wanted everyone to know that we all come from something, maybe it's a hardship,
an experience, or lots of things, lots of lemons, lots of things that happen in our life.
(03:00):
And the reason I think that's important is because a lot of people will say,
oh, I couldn't do that because, and then their list of excuses, or I couldn't do this.
And that was my main reason is I wanted everyone to know that it doesn't matter
where you are, what you've come from.
(03:21):
And I do think your hardships make you hardier.
So that was my main message to let people know, yeah, I hear you.
I'm with you. But you can get through this and you can become whatever it is
that you want to be or persevere.
(03:42):
So that was it. I have lots of stories in there. They're all my stories of things
that I've persisted through.
And it was also a little healing for me to sort of share that and think back
and remind myself, because even today,
I think that we sometimes doubt ourselves and we have to remember, oh yeah, I did that.
(04:09):
I can do hard things. I can get through this or that or whatever it is.
Yeah. I talk a lot about imposter syndrome. And so some people think,
oh, I can't do this. I'm not qualified.
I'm not good enough. No, think about what you did accomplish in your life.
Just like you said, you overcame so many things and you got to where you are today.
(04:32):
So, yeah, you can do something difficult. And if it's hard and difficult and
it makes you uncomfortable, that's okay.
It's supposed to be like that in order to have you learn.
To have you grow because being uncomfortable, right? That's how I'd say it's
where the growth happens, leaping out of your comfort zone.
So a lot of us in this, oh, go ahead, something you wanted to say.
(04:53):
Well, I was just going to say, I was going to say that I think that sometimes
you need something really hard to push you as well.
And in my book, I talk about becoming a runner, But that was six years after
having a terrible accident that I couldn't walk.
(05:16):
And you sometimes need something hard or difficult as a catalyst to move you to the next level.
So I welcome all the things that happen in my life that are difficult.
I love it. I really do. Because I think this is a message for me to let's get
(05:37):
going and be more, do more, become more.
Yeah. And that's a great message for all the listeners.
You know, we kind of, when we go through bad things, we think,
oh, this is the end. This is the worst.
This is not going to help me in any way in my life. But yeah, it does.
It helps you become stronger and become more resilient.
And you have no, I don't think that people understand that it helps you to help
(06:03):
others even because you learn how to be strong and you can now send that message
and help others with that message.
And that's exactly what you did in your book and what you do on a regular basis.
So, you know, and a lot of us in this coaching business have a passion to help others.
When and why did you start that journey to helping women both physically and
(06:23):
mentally to help them navigate the not so fun journey of aging?
The catalyst of all the things that happen.
So I can't figure this one exact moment, but as I'm approaching 52 this year.
I really want to live the next phase of my life as full of life and energy as I can.
(06:48):
And I really believe that we
have to be healthy. I don't want to just be here. I want to be involved.
I want to be active. I want to do all the things. This is a great time of life
for women over 50 as the women that I'm helping now.
Now, women over 50 finally have a little time for themselves,
(07:09):
whether their kids are off, grown and gone, or their career is winding down.
Maybe they have more time, more money. They're not doing all the things that they were doing before.
And this is a portion of our life, though, that really isn't mapped out either,
which is the funny thing.
(07:30):
It's the time when we can do what we want, but we don't even know what to do.
We don't know which way to turn. And a lot of women have lived their whole life
serving others, whether it's a spouse or children or taking care of parents or in a job.
And when you suddenly have, you see the light at the end of the tunnel,
(07:52):
it's like the, we have new baby goats and they stick their heads through the
fence, but then we opened the gate and they were like,
oh gosh, it's a big world out there. I will just stay right here.
We're not going to leave our little fenced-in area.
And that's sort of what women are feeling like at this point.
(08:12):
We could go and be and do anything we want, but we don't have that structure.
So what I'm loving right now is really helping people embrace that and realize
that we have to sort of make our own structure. We have to develop it.
This is a time in our life where there is no roadmap to follow. Thank you.
(08:35):
Yeah. And this is kind of a moment in time where you have to have kind of a
leap of faith in yourself.
Again, like you said, it was always about helping other people.
This is a time to now think about yourself and have that leap of faith and confidence in yourself.
So you look always very confident in how you are.
(08:55):
Where did you get that confidence from? Where did that come from within you?
I think I learned it from speaking on the stage because I'm willing to just
put myself out there and do things.
But I remember the very first time I spoke on the stage in front of a lot of
(09:18):
people, I was at the football hall of fame in Ohio.
And it was, I had been little, done little things before.
You always get these butterflies in your stomach. Well, I knew I was speaking
there and there were other people speaking before me.
And I remember watching them and not judging, just listening.
(09:40):
I wasn't looking at what they were wearing or critiquing what they were saying.
And then it was my turn to go up there.
And I...
I was so nervous. I don't know if you've ever spoken in front of a bunch of
people, but I remember even being in high school, Lisa, standing up and doing,
(10:03):
maybe not high school, but in school, like a book report.
Remember, we had to do oral book reports. Maybe that was grammar school.
But just feeling you're standing and everyone's looking at you and you just
feel so judged. Not that anyone's even saying anything, but you suddenly,
when the spot, we're not used to the spotlight just being on us.
(10:25):
But I remember clearly that day when I went up there and thought I was just
not going to be able to do this.
I thought, I don't think anyone, I think everyone is looking at me the way I
was looking at everyone when they were up there.
And I really just talked myself into the fact that they weren't enjoying what I was saying.
(10:47):
They weren't wondering why my socks didn't match.
They did match. But you know what I'm saying? No one was up there looking at
me like that. And when I realized that, it just gave me a different perspective on how to be confident.
No one's judging you. Just be you.
(11:07):
Share what you have to share. Share your gifts.
And if there is someone judging you, they're not there for the right reason.
And it's on them. It has nothing to do with me.
So I do remember that very clearly. As I'm telling you, I feel those little wigglies.
I mean, I'm just, I'm feeling it listening to you. I was a little different.
(11:28):
I loved getting up and speaking, even though I was very awkward socially as a young girl.
But for some reason, standing up and speaking in front of people I had no problem
with. Very weird dichotomy there.
But that's a really good story because a lot of people, especially when they have a gift,
which a lot of women, we all have gifts and we have something to share,
(11:48):
but we don't necessarily find the courage to be able to say or realize that
people might want to listen to what you have to say and that you could teach and help other people.
You can mentor, you can motivate, you can do things like that.
So just to hear the story that someone as confident as you had that moment.
And then as I guess what you're saying is each time that you did,
(12:09):
it became more and more confident.
And then that led to you actually feeling confident about your own abilities
and to where you are today.
We're learning all the time, right? Yes. Everything we do.
Life student, I know. So when you have challenging moments in your life,
and obviously everyone has them, How do you get through those bad days?
(12:31):
Who do you either look on for support or what do you do to get through those
bad days? Because all of us experience it and I love to ask that question.
I try not to look at things as bad days because everything that's been bad or
that has happened, that when it was bad,
but maybe inconvenient or maybe heartbreaking or sad or scary, whatever it might be,
(12:58):
it never lasts.
So I try to go through them really quickly.
And it's not that I ignore things, but I embrace them and I know that things
are going to be different.
So I can't say that there's an eye for faith.
(13:19):
I believe in God and I love to be calm in the moment.
I'm not a yeller and screamer. I don't get upset. I don't get all crazy.
I like to calmly, rationally think things through.
I have a couple of friends that I talk to, but that's not my knee-jerk reaction
(13:43):
to to have something happen and get on the phone or reach out to someone.
I really like to think it through because most times if we don't react very
quickly where we get to where we want to be, I will tell you, this is funny.
(14:04):
So when I had an accident and I fell and this was the big accident that I had,
But I remember my first thought was, I really should call my sister.
And then I thought about it and I thought, no, I probably should call 9-1-1.
Even in that moment of I was broken, I was alone, I was sort of panicking,
(14:30):
but I was rationally thinking, who would be the best person to call right now?
And it really was a moment I'll never forget. I'll never forget.
So I think you have to just sort of take a breath, like we did when we started our call.
We took some deep breaths and grounded ourselves.
(14:52):
So that's sort of how I operate. Just a great way to look at things because
you will get through it. Just take those deep breaths.
And it's funny that you, obviously your sister and you have a really good, close relationship.
If she's the first person that you thought about instead of,
oh, I guess I should call 911 and get some help.
I really do need to learn that. And yeah, I didn't say, should I talk this through with someone?
(15:18):
Like rationally think about it. Do I really need to, you know,
as I had, everything was broken. Oh my gosh.
I absolutely love your posts.
You have a huge following and especially because it's like everyday moments
that are translated into inspirational messages, right?
(15:40):
The new goats on your farm in Connecticut are my new favorite.
They are so cute and I love them and you transform Transform them,
just like you did earlier in the conversation, to mean something and to say something about it.
There are many of us that are challenged, though, with finding those moments
in life and being able to capture them and share them on social media.
(16:02):
And because people have such a short attention span, right, as we all know,
on social media, and you really want to be able to touch someone and have what
you have to say make a difference to their life. Can you talk about kind of
your process in doing this?
Maybe help some of us that are challenged with that.
Well, it depends on what your mission is. So I mix my social media.
(16:26):
It's a little bit of business.
I work with people with mindset and I work with people in the health and wellness field.
And I just think happiness is huge. And I really never want to get on social
media and say, look at me.
I've done this. I've done that. Whatever I do.
(16:49):
And I'm not saying if you went back there, there wouldn't be any change.
Bit of seeing that there might be, but in general, what I like to do is show people,
just the good in something or what's possible or have some kind of a lesson mixed into it.
(17:09):
So I really think in a lot of what I post, Lisa,
things that I say, it's something that I'm either
they're struggling with or celebrating or teaching
it's it's it's something real so
it kind of comes easy in the sense that I
know a message that I want to reveal and of course a
nice picture is always fun to go along with it because
(17:32):
if you just posted words we are that's just the way it is which is sad to me
because I really love being present and I think we're not present enough so
if you want to get someone's attention so if this would say for business or whatever,
(17:52):
you you nothing ever political and even though i am a christian i really don't post.
Religion because i think it's private to different people and it brings certain
things up but i just think the goodness of life it's really what's important
and people are missing that it's very
(18:13):
easy to go on social media and find something negative.
And that is what I completely avoid.
And I was talking to someone, so we have our new Facebook group and someone,
and we're just getting started with it.
But someone said, how are you going to keep negativity out of it?
(18:35):
And it was so funny that she even asked me because I don't expect it.
I don't look for it. I don't attract it. I don't plan for it.
And I really have not had to go through block anyone or take anyone's comments
(18:56):
down because I keep everything on the up and up.
And it's not always sunshine and roses.
There's some serious things too that happen in our life, But I try to always
find the best, capture the best.
And people want to feel, you know, the me too in a good way.
(19:16):
When I, if something is on my heart that is hard, I will post that in such a
way that someone could say, wow, you know, Susan had a bad day too.
And I'm going through this.
And it's amazing the messages I get sidebar from people that are saying,
thank you. I needed to hear that today.
(19:37):
So I really think you just have to show up as your best self and be real,
be real, but just be authentic.
I was just going to say vulnerability is a power that we have.
And sharing what you're going through or what you feel or your emotional side,
(19:58):
very truthfully, like you said, authentically, is how people even get attracted
to you and want to hear you more. They trust you more.
When they know that what you're sharing is really authentic,
they really do trust you.
And I struggled with that for many years. And it took a lot of time to realize
that I could be who I am. And if someone doesn't like me, they're not to be
(20:19):
a part of my life. And that's just the way it is.
Nobody, not everybody is going to like you. It's just the way it goes,
no matter how popular. For everyone. I don't care who you are.
I'm sure there's people that don't like Mother Teresa.
Right? We can't have that big of a fan base.
But yeah, you're right. And you just sort of take a different direction. You don't go there.
(20:43):
I don't argue with people. Yeah, that's okay.
So can you provide an example of your lifestyle work that you do,
like maybe an example of a specific client and how you help them change their life or age gracefully?
Yes. Well, let me share with you a little bit.
So I prefer, I do work one-on-one with a lot of people that it's basically their
(21:09):
health and wellness and it's specific to them.
But in general, I love group and group coaching and mindset.
And that's why I love speaking. speaking and I really a lot of what we've already
talked about I just urge people who said the the.
(21:32):
Mask that they're wearing and just be yourself.
Because I really believe that
a lot of people now, especially with social media, I see it more and more.
So when I started doing all the things I'm doing, there really wasn't,
I really wasn't on social media.
I wasn't good at it. And it's probably been maybe about 12 years that I said,
(21:57):
okay, I've got to do this because I don't like really to be out there in the spotlight.
And it feels weird. It feels weird that you're putting something out there and
you don't know who's seeing it.
Whereas if I was sitting with a group of women, I would be very comfortable
talking to everyone, but you can see their expressions and you can read their
(22:20):
body language and it feels comfy.
But when you're basically talking to your your, your cell phone and recording
something, it feels weird.
So what, what I really encourage women to do is be yourself,
be yourself and, and try to show up like you are not at a job interview,
(22:45):
but like it's your resume.
So yes, we have bad things and yes, we want to complain because the kids left
their dirty socks somewhere, or no one put the new toilet paper on the roll,
or why do I always have to cook dinner?
Somebody wants to hear that.
(23:05):
For many of us, that's our life.
We know that. We don't have to talk about it. We don't have to bitch and complain
We just let that go and show up as the person you want to be better at being.
And that's what I really love to teach is not to sit around and complain.
(23:28):
And also, what I find is really cool. So I've started this group for women over
50, and we're doing some little events.
And I have this new meetup group. And what I found with this meetup group,
and I've noticed that you do this a lot when you're talking about something
(23:48):
that you want to teach and train on, you're walking.
You're outside, you're walking. cooking putting movement
with whatever it's like a recipe you don't want to bake bread without salt I'm
a baker but you don't you don't if you really want to come across authentic
(24:10):
you want to come across in your best mood as your best self showing up.
As your authentic self, helps the movement to it. That's what's missing.
People sit down in their chair, maybe they'll have a camera on them and they'll
try to say something profound. It can be messy.
But I love to, I feel most inspired when I'm moving, when I'm out in nature. That makes me happy.
(24:39):
So getting in a happy place.
But I think a lot of people put that on themselves selves, and then they're stunted.
We need to move in order to grow. So you do have a mantra, it's never too late to change your life.
I love that mantra. But is there any other positive affirmation or quote or
(25:00):
mantra that other than that one, I'd like everyone to share that as one of the last things.
We'll talk about how people can reach you and what you're doing,
but is there one that you could share with everyone?
Because I know I feel that a person just needs to hear that and it's going to change their life.
Yes. And I do say that it's never too late to change your life.
And I have another version that I like to use as well, which is along the same
(25:26):
lines because it's so embedded in me that I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago.
And from that, I'm not the same person from 20 years before.
And I will be a different person in the the next 10 years.
And I think we're always changing and growing.
And I don't want anyone to get to the end of their life and think, why didn't I?
(25:53):
And so my mantra, my quote, whatever, it's never too late to become who you've always wanted to be.
And we think we can't change. I I know it's changed your life.
And then that's so sort of obscure, but who do you really want to be?
Who do you really want to be? And last couple of nights ago,
(26:17):
we went out on the boat with some friends.
And one of the friends was saying, I just got a banjo.
I've always wanted to play the banjo. And I started laughing.
And when I was a kid, remember when we were in school, we had instruments and
I used to play the violin. And about six years ago, I bought a violin.
(26:38):
I talked about it for years and I thought, why am I not doing that? And I got a violin.
I'm not going to be in concert or anything, but it's just fun to bring that
back. But who do you want to be?
We think at this point, we've already...
Seal the deal. This is who we are. This is who we are.
(27:01):
But I think as long as you're living and breathing, you can change and you can
become whoever you want to be.
Because it's truly in you. It just may not have been released yet.
You may not have the confidence or the awareness to be able to release it so
that other people can experience it and so that you can experience it. But it's there.
(27:21):
And a lot of us, like you said, and everybody knows as women,
we are always here care for other people.
This is a time in our life after 50, just like you said, where we're here for ourselves.
We need to start to ask ourselves and, and it's just so important and so rewarding.
And, and even I was a different person eight months ago.
I mean, it just things when you change and you grow and it's uncomfortable and
(27:44):
it's difficult sometimes, but it is all for the good.
And you come out so much stronger and so much happier and just successful at
what you're, how you live life.
You're just, it's just more effective in relationships and friends and family
and just everything. Yeah.
And, you know, I'm an analogy girl, Lisa. So I just want to, this is my analogy.
(28:07):
I'm also an ultra New York clown runner, a hiker.
So imagine our life is a journey, right?
And we get to this point. So if we, if I am hiking up a huge mountain, you get to the top.
And the last thing you want to think about is charting all over again,
because you've accomplished so much.
(28:29):
So in our life, whether we've been educated or we've had a career or whatever
we've done, we've essentially climbed that mountain.
And then we look back and we're like, oh, I don't want to do all that again.
So most people will stay at that point because the The work it took to get there was so hard.
(28:52):
You know, it was just a, it was a, it was a journey.
But I think what people are missing is you don't have to go back and start over.
That is just, that is all the experience and everything you've gained. Just continue on.
It's a new journey. You can continue on. so
yeah i just urge people to not
(29:14):
look back and say well i spent my whole life studying at spire z or being married
to this person or whatever or living in this town it's okay you don't have to
go back you just go forward make adjustments change just go to the next peak
just keep going forward yeah,
I like that. Yeah. So how can people reach you?
(29:38):
And please, I know this is coming out when it's going to be out for a while,
but you've got some new things that you're doing.
And again, this is in perpetuity, so we're going to act like it's really going
on right now. So tell us how people can reach you and see you and hear you.
Well, it is. We just started, a friend of mine, Meanie Madden and I started
(29:59):
a new community for women over 50 to navigate all these things that are new,
new roadmap. And it's called the Good News Girls.
And it's pretty exciting because it's all good news. And we have a website.
Everything is the Good News Girls.
So it's thegoodnewsgirls.com. I can be reached at Susan at the Good News Girls.
(30:25):
We have Instagram and Facebook and all kinds of things.
But it really is, we'll have guests every month that are actually hitting on
the topics that we are navigating.
So we'll have a book each month. We'll have a guest each month.
There's so much. And we will be doing retreats and events.
(30:48):
And it's super, super exciting. But what we've really noticed,
and I would urge everyone to go to our website.
There's a free book to download that I wrote this winter when I was in Florida.
It's called The Fab Formula.
And it's four great things to be able to get your life off to a good start in
(31:09):
this next phase. And also, there is a survey for women over 50.
It's called the Voices of Experience.
And it is on our website. And it's just 10 simple questions.
But we want to hear from you because we want to know.
Where you are in your life. And we have seen a common thread.
(31:30):
Women over 50 are all wanting a lot of the same things.
So we want to have one nice, easy place to build a community and to figure out the answers together.
I can't wait. Of course, I'm going to be joining the community, so I can't wait.
Oh my gosh. And thank you so much. And I know you're a busy person and I I really
(31:52):
appreciate it. And I know all the listeners have learned so much from you.
And remember the good news girls.com.
And I'm sure you're, it's going to be so inspirational and so fun,
and it'll be super successful because it's going to help so many people,
so many women over 50. And we need it. We need help.
(32:12):
A lot of people kind of put us top to the side.
We need, and what we need to do is help each other. So that's fabulous.
Thank you. Yeah. Helping each other. Thank you. And thank you for having me, Lisa.
You are an inspiration. And it's really cool that after all these years,
we are still connected across the country and across the years. So thank you.
(32:36):
Thank you. I know everybody. This is Ladies Who Lead Podcast.
Thank you for listening. Thanks, Susan Wheeler. Yay.
Bye. Bye.
Thanks so much for listening or watching. Please subscribe to the Ladies Who
Leap podcast to be notified of new episodes.
And I would love to hear from you. Let me know what works, what doesn't.
(32:59):
And if you have a story to tell, please reach out.
Come join the Leap community at the Ladies Who Leap Club Facebook group.
Remember, leaping out of your comfort zone is where the growth happens. Thank you.
Music.
Hi, I'm Lisa Andrea, Transformation Life Coach.
Welcome to the Ladies Who Leap podcast, where guests share their inspiring stories
of leaping out of their comfort zone, confidence and power, and into a life
of purpose and fulfillment.
Let's listen to their life-changing stories so that we can all learn how to
(00:22):
gain the courage to take a leap of faith into a life that we love,
so that we can all be Ladies Who Lead. Let's get started.
Hi, welcome to Ladies Who Lead podcast. Today, I'd like to introduce today's
(00:43):
guest. It's Susan Wheeler.
Susan is a lifestyle entrepreneur.
Dogs, hiking, travel, writing, and photography are a few of her favorite things.
She lives with her husband on their beautiful organic farm in Connecticut and
is also a mom of four fabulous adults and seven grandchildren.
(01:03):
Susan has a certification in gut health nutrition and has recently become certified in Pilates.
She is passionate about advocating for women's physical and mental health and
helping them improve with age.
Susan is the author of The Lemonade Diet, an inspirational resource encouraging
women to persist and persevere when life hands them lemons.
(01:25):
Her motto is, it's never too late to change your life.
Welcome to the podcast.
I just want to say, Susan, that we went to school, we went to high school together
in town in Connecticut. So that's how I know Susan.
And I've seen your transformation through life and it's been absolutely amazing.
So I thank you for joining me today.
(01:47):
Oh, thank you for having me. And we won't say when we went to high school, but we did.
It's hard to imagine. I know, huh? But even though I went to high school with
you and I've known you throughout the years, when I read your Lemonade Diet, the Lemonade Diet book,
and by the way, it is very inspirational. Everyone should get it.
(02:10):
I found out so much more about yourself and your early years and what things
happened to you and how it shaped you.
Can you talk about your lemons life experience and how it started to shape you?
Well, there's so many things, there's so many layers, right?
But basically, the reason I wrote the book was because I wanted people to not
(02:35):
look at me now and think that I'm this or that or successful or an athlete or
any of the things that people would look at me and think.
I wanted everyone to know that we all come from something, maybe it's a hardship,
an experience, or lots of things, lots of lemons, lots of things that happen in our life.
(03:00):
And the reason I think that's important is because a lot of people will say,
oh, I couldn't do that because, and then their list of excuses, or I couldn't do this.
And that was my main reason is I wanted everyone to know that it doesn't matter
where you are, what you've come from.
(03:21):
And I do think your hardships make you hardier.
So that was my main message to let people know, yeah, I hear you.
I'm with you. But you can get through this and you can become whatever it is
that you want to be or persevere.
(03:42):
So that was it. I have lots of stories in there. They're all my stories of things
that I've persisted through.
And it was also a little healing for me to sort of share that and think back
and remind myself, because even today,
I think that we sometimes doubt ourselves and we have to remember, oh yeah, I did that.
(04:09):
I can do hard things. I can get through this or that or whatever it is.
Yeah. I talk a lot about imposter syndrome. And so some people think,
oh, I can't do this. I'm not qualified.
I'm not good enough. No, think about what you did accomplish in your life.
Just like you said, you overcame so many things and you got to where you are today.
(04:32):
So, yeah, you can do something difficult. And if it's hard and difficult and
it makes you uncomfortable, that's okay.
It's supposed to be like that in order to have you learn.
To have you grow because being uncomfortable, right? That's how I'd say it's
where the growth happens, leaping out of your comfort zone.
So a lot of us in this, oh, go ahead, something you wanted to say.
(04:53):
Well, I was just going to say, I was going to say that I think that sometimes
you need something really hard to push you as well.
And in my book, I talk about becoming a runner, But that was six years after
having a terrible accident that I couldn't walk.
(05:16):
And you sometimes need something hard or difficult as a catalyst to move you to the next level.
So I welcome all the things that happen in my life that are difficult.
I love it. I really do. Because I think this is a message for me to let's get
(05:37):
going and be more, do more, become more.
Yeah. And that's a great message for all the listeners.
You know, we kind of, when we go through bad things, we think,
oh, this is the end. This is the worst.
This is not going to help me in any way in my life. But yeah, it does.
It helps you become stronger and become more resilient.
And you have no, I don't think that people understand that it helps you to help
(06:03):
others even because you learn how to be strong and you can now send that message
and help others with that message.
And that's exactly what you did in your book and what you do on a regular basis.
So, you know, and a lot of us in this coaching business have a passion to help others.
When and why did you start that journey to helping women both physically and
(06:23):
mentally to help them navigate the not so fun journey of aging?
The catalyst of all the things that happen.
So I can't figure this one exact moment, but as I'm approaching 52 this year.
I really want to live the next phase of my life as full of life and energy as I can.
(06:48):
And I really believe that we
have to be healthy. I don't want to just be here. I want to be involved.
I want to be active. I want to do all the things. This is a great time of life
for women over 50 as the women that I'm helping now.
Now, women over 50 finally have a little time for themselves,
(07:09):
whether their kids are off, grown and gone, or their career is winding down.
Maybe they have more time, more money. They're not doing all the things that they were doing before.
And this is a portion of our life, though, that really isn't mapped out either,
which is the funny thing.
(07:30):
It's the time when we can do what we want, but we don't even know what to do.
We don't know which way to turn. And a lot of women have lived their whole life
serving others, whether it's a spouse or children or taking care of parents or in a job.
And when you suddenly have, you see the light at the end of the tunnel,
(07:52):
it's like the, we have new baby goats and they stick their heads through the
fence, but then we opened the gate and they were like,
oh gosh, it's a big world out there. I will just stay right here.
We're not going to leave our little fenced-in area.
And that's sort of what women are feeling like at this point.
(08:12):
We could go and be and do anything we want, but we don't have that structure.
So what I'm loving right now is really helping people embrace that and realize
that we have to sort of make our own structure. We have to develop it.
This is a time in our life where there is no roadmap to follow. Thank you.
(08:35):
Yeah. And this is kind of a moment in time where you have to have kind of a
leap of faith in yourself.
Again, like you said, it was always about helping other people.
This is a time to now think about yourself and have that leap of faith and confidence in yourself.
So you look always very confident in how you are.
(08:55):
Where did you get that confidence from? Where did that come from within you?
I think I learned it from speaking on the stage because I'm willing to just
put myself out there and do things.
But I remember the very first time I spoke on the stage in front of a lot of
(09:18):
people, I was at the football hall of fame in Ohio.
And it was, I had been little, done little things before.
You always get these butterflies in your stomach. Well, I knew I was speaking
there and there were other people speaking before me.
And I remember watching them and not judging, just listening.
(09:40):
I wasn't looking at what they were wearing or critiquing what they were saying.
And then it was my turn to go up there.
And I...
I was so nervous. I don't know if you've ever spoken in front of a bunch of
people, but I remember even being in high school, Lisa, standing up and doing,
(10:03):
maybe not high school, but in school, like a book report.
Remember, we had to do oral book reports. Maybe that was grammar school.
But just feeling you're standing and everyone's looking at you and you just
feel so judged. Not that anyone's even saying anything, but you suddenly,
when the spot, we're not used to the spotlight just being on us.
(10:25):
But I remember clearly that day when I went up there and thought I was just
not going to be able to do this.
I thought, I don't think anyone, I think everyone is looking at me the way I
was looking at everyone when they were up there.
And I really just talked myself into the fact that they weren't enjoying what I was saying.
(10:47):
They weren't wondering why my socks didn't match.
They did match. But you know what I'm saying? No one was up there looking at
me like that. And when I realized that, it just gave me a different perspective on how to be confident.
No one's judging you. Just be you.
(11:07):
Share what you have to share. Share your gifts.
And if there is someone judging you, they're not there for the right reason.
And it's on them. It has nothing to do with me.
So I do remember that very clearly. As I'm telling you, I feel those little wigglies.
I mean, I'm just, I'm feeling it listening to you. I was a little different.
(11:28):
I loved getting up and speaking, even though I was very awkward socially as a young girl.
But for some reason, standing up and speaking in front of people I had no problem
with. Very weird dichotomy there.
But that's a really good story because a lot of people, especially when they have a gift,
which a lot of women, we all have gifts and we have something to share,
(11:48):
but we don't necessarily find the courage to be able to say or realize that
people might want to listen to what you have to say and that you could teach and help other people.
You can mentor, you can motivate, you can do things like that.
So just to hear the story that someone as confident as you had that moment.
And then as I guess what you're saying is each time that you did,
(12:09):
it became more and more confident.
And then that led to you actually feeling confident about your own abilities
and to where you are today.
We're learning all the time, right? Yes. Everything we do.
Life student, I know. So when you have challenging moments in your life,
and obviously everyone has them, How do you get through those bad days?
(12:31):
Who do you either look on for support or what do you do to get through those
bad days? Because all of us experience it and I love to ask that question.
I try not to look at things as bad days because everything that's been bad or
that has happened, that when it was bad,
but maybe inconvenient or maybe heartbreaking or sad or scary, whatever it might be,
(12:58):
it never lasts.
So I try to go through them really quickly.
And it's not that I ignore things, but I embrace them and I know that things
are going to be different.
So I can't say that there's an eye for faith.
(13:19):
I believe in God and I love to be calm in the moment.
I'm not a yeller and screamer. I don't get upset. I don't get all crazy.
I like to calmly, rationally think things through.
I have a couple of friends that I talk to, but that's not my knee-jerk reaction
(13:43):
to to have something happen and get on the phone or reach out to someone.
I really like to think it through because most times if we don't react very
quickly where we get to where we want to be, I will tell you, this is funny.
(14:04):
So when I had an accident and I fell and this was the big accident that I had,
But I remember my first thought was, I really should call my sister.
And then I thought about it and I thought, no, I probably should call 9-1-1.
Even in that moment of I was broken, I was alone, I was sort of panicking,
(14:30):
but I was rationally thinking, who would be the best person to call right now?
And it really was a moment I'll never forget. I'll never forget.
So I think you have to just sort of take a breath, like we did when we started our call.
We took some deep breaths and grounded ourselves.
(14:52):
So that's sort of how I operate. Just a great way to look at things because
you will get through it. Just take those deep breaths.
And it's funny that you, obviously your sister and you have a really good, close relationship.
If she's the first person that you thought about instead of,
oh, I guess I should call 911 and get some help.
I really do need to learn that. And yeah, I didn't say, should I talk this through with someone?
(15:18):
Like rationally think about it. Do I really need to, you know,
as I had, everything was broken. Oh my gosh.
I absolutely love your posts.
You have a huge following and especially because it's like everyday moments
that are translated into inspirational messages, right?
(15:40):
The new goats on your farm in Connecticut are my new favorite.
They are so cute and I love them and you transform Transform them,
just like you did earlier in the conversation, to mean something and to say something about it.
There are many of us that are challenged, though, with finding those moments
in life and being able to capture them and share them on social media.
(16:02):
And because people have such a short attention span, right, as we all know,
on social media, and you really want to be able to touch someone and have what
you have to say make a difference to their life. Can you talk about kind of
your process in doing this?
Maybe help some of us that are challenged with that.
Well, it depends on what your mission is. So I mix my social media.
(16:26):
It's a little bit of business.
I work with people with mindset and I work with people in the health and wellness field.
And I just think happiness is huge. And I really never want to get on social
media and say, look at me.
I've done this. I've done that. Whatever I do.
(16:49):
And I'm not saying if you went back there, there wouldn't be any change.
Bit of seeing that there might be, but in general, what I like to do is show people,
just the good in something or what's possible or have some kind of a lesson mixed into it.
(17:09):
So I really think in a lot of what I post, Lisa,
things that I say, it's something that I'm either
they're struggling with or celebrating or teaching
it's it's it's something real so
it kind of comes easy in the sense that I
know a message that I want to reveal and of course a
nice picture is always fun to go along with it because
(17:32):
if you just posted words we are that's just the way it is which is sad to me
because I really love being present and I think we're not present enough so
if you want to get someone's attention so if this would say for business or whatever,
(17:52):
you you nothing ever political and even though i am a christian i really don't post.
Religion because i think it's private to different people and it brings certain
things up but i just think the goodness of life it's really what's important
and people are missing that it's very
(18:13):
easy to go on social media and find something negative.
And that is what I completely avoid.
And I was talking to someone, so we have our new Facebook group and someone,
and we're just getting started with it.
But someone said, how are you going to keep negativity out of it?
(18:35):
And it was so funny that she even asked me because I don't expect it.
I don't look for it. I don't attract it. I don't plan for it.
And I really have not had to go through block anyone or take anyone's comments
(18:56):
down because I keep everything on the up and up.
And it's not always sunshine and roses.
There's some serious things too that happen in our life, But I try to always
find the best, capture the best.
And people want to feel, you know, the me too in a good way.
(19:16):
When I, if something is on my heart that is hard, I will post that in such a
way that someone could say, wow, you know, Susan had a bad day too.
And I'm going through this.
And it's amazing the messages I get sidebar from people that are saying,
thank you. I needed to hear that today.
(19:37):
So I really think you just have to show up as your best self and be real,
be real, but just be authentic.
I was just going to say vulnerability is a power that we have.
And sharing what you're going through or what you feel or your emotional side,
(19:58):
very truthfully, like you said, authentically, is how people even get attracted
to you and want to hear you more. They trust you more.
When they know that what you're sharing is really authentic,
they really do trust you.
And I struggled with that for many years. And it took a lot of time to realize
that I could be who I am. And if someone doesn't like me, they're not to be
(20:19):
a part of my life. And that's just the way it is.
Nobody, not everybody is going to like you. It's just the way it goes,
no matter how popular. For everyone. I don't care who you are.
I'm sure there's people that don't like Mother Teresa.
Right? We can't have that big of a fan base.
But yeah, you're right. And you just sort of take a different direction. You don't go there.
(20:43):
I don't argue with people. Yeah, that's okay.
So can you provide an example of your lifestyle work that you do,
like maybe an example of a specific client and how you help them change their life or age gracefully?
Yes. Well, let me share with you a little bit.
So I prefer, I do work one-on-one with a lot of people that it's basically their
(21:09):
health and wellness and it's specific to them.
But in general, I love group and group coaching and mindset.
And that's why I love speaking. speaking and I really a lot of what we've already
talked about I just urge people who said the the.
(21:32):
Mask that they're wearing and just be yourself.
Because I really believe that
a lot of people now, especially with social media, I see it more and more.
So when I started doing all the things I'm doing, there really wasn't,
I really wasn't on social media.
I wasn't good at it. And it's probably been maybe about 12 years that I said,
(21:57):
okay, I've got to do this because I don't like really to be out there in the spotlight.
And it feels weird. It feels weird that you're putting something out there and
you don't know who's seeing it.
Whereas if I was sitting with a group of women, I would be very comfortable
talking to everyone, but you can see their expressions and you can read their
(22:20):
body language and it feels comfy.
But when you're basically talking to your your, your cell phone and recording
something, it feels weird.
So what, what I really encourage women to do is be yourself,
be yourself and, and try to show up like you are not at a job interview,
(22:45):
but like it's your resume.
So yes, we have bad things and yes, we want to complain because the kids left
their dirty socks somewhere, or no one put the new toilet paper on the roll,
or why do I always have to cook dinner?
Somebody wants to hear that.
(23:05):
For many of us, that's our life.
We know that. We don't have to talk about it. We don't have to bitch and complain
We just let that go and show up as the person you want to be better at being.
And that's what I really love to teach is not to sit around and complain.
(23:28):
And also, what I find is really cool. So I've started this group for women over
50, and we're doing some little events.
And I have this new meetup group. And what I found with this meetup group,
and I've noticed that you do this a lot when you're talking about something
(23:48):
that you want to teach and train on, you're walking.
You're outside, you're walking. cooking putting movement
with whatever it's like a recipe you don't want to bake bread without salt I'm
a baker but you don't you don't if you really want to come across authentic
(24:10):
you want to come across in your best mood as your best self showing up.
As your authentic self, helps the movement to it. That's what's missing.
People sit down in their chair, maybe they'll have a camera on them and they'll
try to say something profound. It can be messy.
But I love to, I feel most inspired when I'm moving, when I'm out in nature. That makes me happy.
(24:39):
So getting in a happy place.
But I think a lot of people put that on themselves selves, and then they're stunted.
We need to move in order to grow. So you do have a mantra, it's never too late to change your life.
I love that mantra. But is there any other positive affirmation or quote or
(25:00):
mantra that other than that one, I'd like everyone to share that as one of the last things.
We'll talk about how people can reach you and what you're doing,
but is there one that you could share with everyone?
Because I know I feel that a person just needs to hear that and it's going to change their life.
Yes. And I do say that it's never too late to change your life.
And I have another version that I like to use as well, which is along the same
(25:26):
lines because it's so embedded in me that I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago.
And from that, I'm not the same person from 20 years before.
And I will be a different person in the the next 10 years.
And I think we're always changing and growing.
And I don't want anyone to get to the end of their life and think, why didn't I?
(25:53):
And so my mantra, my quote, whatever, it's never too late to become who you've always wanted to be.
And we think we can't change. I I know it's changed your life.
And then that's so sort of obscure, but who do you really want to be?
Who do you really want to be? And last couple of nights ago,
(26:17):
we went out on the boat with some friends.
And one of the friends was saying, I just got a banjo.
I've always wanted to play the banjo. And I started laughing.
And when I was a kid, remember when we were in school, we had instruments and
I used to play the violin. And about six years ago, I bought a violin.
(26:38):
I talked about it for years and I thought, why am I not doing that? And I got a violin.
I'm not going to be in concert or anything, but it's just fun to bring that
back. But who do you want to be?
We think at this point, we've already...
Seal the deal. This is who we are. This is who we are.
(27:01):
But I think as long as you're living and breathing, you can change and you can
become whoever you want to be.
Because it's truly in you. It just may not have been released yet.
You may not have the confidence or the awareness to be able to release it so
that other people can experience it and so that you can experience it. But it's there.
(27:21):
And a lot of us, like you said, and everybody knows as women,
we are always here care for other people.
This is a time in our life after 50, just like you said, where we're here for ourselves.
We need to start to ask ourselves and, and it's just so important and so rewarding.
And, and even I was a different person eight months ago.
I mean, it just things when you change and you grow and it's uncomfortable and
(27:44):
it's difficult sometimes, but it is all for the good.
And you come out so much stronger and so much happier and just successful at
what you're, how you live life.
You're just, it's just more effective in relationships and friends and family
and just everything. Yeah.
And, you know, I'm an analogy girl, Lisa. So I just want to, this is my analogy.
(28:07):
I'm also an ultra New York clown runner, a hiker.
So imagine our life is a journey, right?
And we get to this point. So if we, if I am hiking up a huge mountain, you get to the top.
And the last thing you want to think about is charting all over again,
because you've accomplished so much.
(28:29):
So in our life, whether we've been educated or we've had a career or whatever
we've done, we've essentially climbed that mountain.
And then we look back and we're like, oh, I don't want to do all that again.
So most people will stay at that point because the The work it took to get there was so hard.
(28:52):
You know, it was just a, it was a, it was a journey.
But I think what people are missing is you don't have to go back and start over.
That is just, that is all the experience and everything you've gained. Just continue on.
It's a new journey. You can continue on. so
yeah i just urge people to not
(29:14):
look back and say well i spent my whole life studying at spire z or being married
to this person or whatever or living in this town it's okay you don't have to
go back you just go forward make adjustments change just go to the next peak
just keep going forward yeah,
I like that. Yeah. So how can people reach you?
(29:38):
And please, I know this is coming out when it's going to be out for a while,
but you've got some new things that you're doing.
And again, this is in perpetuity, so we're going to act like it's really going
on right now. So tell us how people can reach you and see you and hear you.
Well, it is. We just started, a friend of mine, Meanie Madden and I started
(29:59):
a new community for women over 50 to navigate all these things that are new,
new roadmap. And it's called the Good News Girls.
And it's pretty exciting because it's all good news. And we have a website.
Everything is the Good News Girls.
So it's thegoodnewsgirls.com. I can be reached at Susan at the Good News Girls.
(30:25):
We have Instagram and Facebook and all kinds of things.
But it really is, we'll have guests every month that are actually hitting on
the topics that we are navigating.
So we'll have a book each month. We'll have a guest each month.
There's so much. And we will be doing retreats and events.
(30:48):
And it's super, super exciting. But what we've really noticed,
and I would urge everyone to go to our website.
There's a free book to download that I wrote this winter when I was in Florida.
It's called The Fab Formula.
And it's four great things to be able to get your life off to a good start in
(31:09):
this next phase. And also, there is a survey for women over 50.
It's called the Voices of Experience.
And it is on our website. And it's just 10 simple questions.
But we want to hear from you because we want to know.
Where you are in your life. And we have seen a common thread.
(31:30):
Women over 50 are all wanting a lot of the same things.
So we want to have one nice, easy place to build a community and to figure out the answers together.
I can't wait. Of course, I'm going to be joining the community, so I can't wait.
Oh my gosh. And thank you so much. And I know you're a busy person and I I really
(31:52):
appreciate it. And I know all the listeners have learned so much from you.
And remember the good news girls.com.
And I'm sure you're, it's going to be so inspirational and so fun,
and it'll be super successful because it's going to help so many people,
so many women over 50. And we need it. We need help.
(32:12):
A lot of people kind of put us top to the side.
We need, and what we need to do is help each other. So that's fabulous.
Thank you. Yeah. Helping each other. Thank you. And thank you for having me, Lisa.
You are an inspiration. And it's really cool that after all these years,
we are still connected across the country and across the years. So thank you.
(32:36):
Thank you. I know everybody. This is Ladies Who Lead Podcast.
Thank you for listening. Thanks, Susan Wheeler. Yay.
Bye. Bye.
Thanks so much for listening or watching. Please subscribe to the Ladies Who
Leap podcast to be notified of new episodes.
And I would love to hear from you. Let me know what works, what doesn't.
(32:59):
And if you have a story to tell, please reach out.
Come join the Leap community at the Ladies Who Leap Club Facebook group.
Remember, leaping out of your comfort zone is where the growth happens. Thank you.
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