All Episodes

September 25, 2025 48 mins

Dating in midlife isn’t for the faint of heart. Maybe your marriage or a long-term relationship ended, you’ve healed, and now you’re ready to date again—only to ride a rollercoaster of hope, disappointment, or those “fetal position on your bed” moments we don’t always admit. 

But what if dating wasn’t about forcing it or giving up—what if it was about trusting yourself, slowing down, and staying rooted in your worth? 

In this episode, I’m joined by Heidi Friedman—an accomplished attorney, writer, and debut author of Love Lessons. After surviving 104 dates (yes, you read that right), Heidi found her “do-over”—a healthy relationship built on mutual respect, care, and real connection. Her journey from single mom to thriving in love is both relatable and inspiring.

We dive into the emotional reality of dating in midlife—what it takes to stay intentional, hold clear relationship expectations, why “don’t settle” isn’t just a slogan, and how to hold onto hope when you’re a single mom dating. 

You’ll learn:

  • If the 104 dates were worth it
  • Why “don’t settle” isn’t just a catchphrase and how to embody it
  • How to approach dating as a path to growth, not just a goal
  • The mindset shift that kept Heidi open to love
  • What intentional dating looks like in practice
  • The emotional toll dating can have and how to return to yourself
  • What emotional self-care looks like when dating feels discouraging
  • How self-work strengthens you for your future partner

If you’ve ever wondered whether love is still possible for you, this conversation proves that it is—and that it can feel better, deeper, and more aligned than ever. 

Whether you’re hopeful, healing, or exhausted by dating, this episode will remind you: you deserve love that feels like home. 

Cheers to finding love,
Laurie

Click here for a video on how to leave a review to receive a free somatic stabilization/grounding exercise. The podcast graphic is different from the current one. Once you complete it and send me a picture I will send you the video. My email is laurie@laurieejames.com

Thank you in advance. 

Click here to learn about my NEW “Nervous System Regulation Starter Kit” 

Free Resources

Click here to receive my FREE “Girlfriends Guide to Online Dating”

Click here to schedule a FREE inquiry call with me.

Click here for my FREE “Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing”

Click here for my FREE Core Values Exercise

Click here to purchase my book: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go

Website

Connect with Heidi Friedman

Please leave me feedback. I cannot respond so if you'd like me to respond, please leave your email

***********************
DISCLAIMER: THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL, MEDICAL OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED THERAPIST IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY MEDICAL ISSUE OR PROBLEM.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.