Being Mary

Send us Fan Mail Retirement.  Such a simple word for such a life-changing decision. This week on Being Mary, I’m talking about the emotions, fears, possibilities, and questions that often come with this next chapter of life. Because retirement isn’t just about finances…  it’s also about identity, purpose, meaning, and asking yourself:  “What kind of life do I want now?” If you’re approaching retir...

Send us Fan Mail NEW PODCAST EPISODE: The Freedom to Be Ourselves As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized freedom means more than where we live.  Sometimes freedom is quieter than that. The freedom to speak honestly.  To grow.  To change.  To become more fully ourselves. Today on Being Mary , I’m reflecting on Canada, womanhood, aging, and gratitude for the ability to keep becoming — at every stage of...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Being Mary, I’m joined by Maggie Whitcroft for a thoughtful conversation about emotional healing, nervous system regulation, energy work, and what it means to reconnect with yourself after difficult seasons in life. I’ll be honest — this was something very new to me, and part of this episode is simply allowing myself to stay curious and open to learning. Whether this...

Send us Fan Mail Learning isn’t just for young people. In fact, continuing to learn may be one of the best things we can do for our brains as we age. In today’s episode of Being Mary, we’re talking about curiosity, creativity, rest, and the small ways we can continue expanding our minds. Because this stage of life isn’t about shrinking. It’s about becoming. 🎙️ Listen now wherever you get your podc...

Send us Fan Mail We spend a lot of time talking about taking care of our bodies as we age. But what about our brain? In today’s episode of Being Mary, we’re talking about everyday mind fitness — simple things you can do to keep your brain active and engaged. Not complicated things. Just small shifts like: • puzzles  • changing routines  • social connection  • movement  • curiosity Because if we’re...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes the people we remember most…  are the ones we barely knew. A quick conversation in a grocery store.  A shared laugh in passing.  A moment of unexpected connection. In this episode, I’m sharing a couple of simple, everyday encounters that stayed with me —  not because they were extraordinary,  but because they were human. Because even the briefest connection  can remind u...

Send us Fan Mail Some days, the smallest conversations are the ones that matter most. A quick chat at the grocery store.  A smile at the checkout.  A kind word when someone least expects it. In this episode, I’m reflecting on how these simple moments of connection can shift a day — for someone else… and sometimes for ourselves too. Because maybe it’s not about changing the world…  maybe it’s just...

Send us Fan Mail Motherhood… didn’t look the way I expected. And if I’m being honest…  I don’t think I fully understood my own mom  until much later. This episode is a reflection on that—  on love, hindsight, and how motherhood changes over time. And a quiet question I’ve been sitting with: What does Mother’s Day look like  when your daughters are mothers too? 🎧 Listen now Support the show www.be...

Send us Fan Mail If someone asked you today,   “What do you do?” what would you say? Not the title you once had.  Not the role you’ve always played.  But the truth of who you are now. This week on Being Mary , I’m talking about elevator speeches — and why that simple question can feel so complicated as we grow older. Maybe your answer has changed.  Maybe it’s still changing.  And maybe that’s exac...

Send us Fan Mail Love, Loss, and Letting the Truth Breathe — now live. Five years ago, I lost my husband Casey. Grief has changed over time.  It doesn’t disappear… it softens, it shifts, and sometimes it still shows up quietly when I least expect it. This episode is a personal reflection on love, loss, and the truths we carry — even the complicated ones. It’s also a conversation about something we...

Send us Fan Mail There are things in life we only begin to understand much later. Lately, I’ve been noticing something that surprised me a little. I’m just starting to understand what it truly feels like to be loved by people. Sometimes when we’re younger — or when we’re in the middle of life — we’re simply trying to survive the chapters we’re living in. We don’t always stop long enough to ask wha...

Send us Fan Mail Hockey tryouts aren’t really about hockey. They’re about effort.  Disappointment.  Confidence.  And learning who you are when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. In today’s episode of Being Mary , I’m reflecting on hockey tryouts, life lessons, and the quiet ways we encourage — or pressure — the people we love. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show www.beingmary...

Send us Fan Mail Lately I’ve noticed something about myself…  When life is changing, I tend to retreat. And the more I isolate, the harder it feels to step back out again — even though getting out is exactly what I need. A simple conversation with a stranger the other night reminded me how powerful small human moments can be.  Not deep. Not life-changing.  Just… human. Maybe today we put the phone...

Send us Fan Mail Today on Being Mary, we come full circle. In the final episode of the Daughter – Mom – Grandmother series, I reflect on the tender wisdom of becoming a grandmother — or an Oma, as I’m called. This season is softer. It’s about presence instead of direction. About watching love continue — and trusting what you’ve passed on. In this episode, I share reflections on legacy, letting go,...

Send us Fan Mail Today on Being Mary , we step into a chapter no one really prepares us for — raising adult children. It’s the quiet shift from being the one who leads…  to the one who learns how to step back with love and trust. In this episode, I talk about the evolving role of motherhood — the art of not saying the thing, respecting boundaries, navigating new partners, and learning how to stay...

Send us Fan Mail When a woman becomes a mother, everything shifts — body, heart, and soul. In today’s episode of Being Mary , I explore matrescence — the profound transformation that happens as a woman learns to love, nurture, and rediscover herself. This is an honest conversation about identity, exhaustion, wonder, and the quiet courage it takes to become someone new. ✨ If you’re a mother — new,...

Send us Fan Mail Today on Being Mary , we begin a brand-new series: Daughter – Mom – Grandmother: The Evolution of Love. We start at the beginning — the bond between a mother and daughter. It’s one of the most complex, beautiful, and emotional relationships we experience as women.  It can lift us up.  It can challenge us.  And at times, it can break our hearts. But it’s also the thread that ties g...

Send us Fan Mail On Monday I said, “If you’re new here, come back Wednesday.” So here we are. 🤍 This episode is a re-introduction—for those just joining me, and for those who’ve been walking alongside me for a while. Being Mary began as a book, but it’s become so much more than that. It’s a space for real conversations about life, loss, love, healing, and becoming—at any age. You can listen to th...

Send us Fan Mail I showed up alone with a paddle, a few nerves, and no expectations… and walked away hooked. This episode is about pickleball, community, and rediscovering the joy of play — no experience required. 🏓💛 Support the show www.beingmary.ca https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/ https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb

Send us Fan Mail 🎄 Feeling like the holidays are just a Hallmark movie you didn’t audition for?  Single? Alone? Or just avoiding awkward family drama? You’re not alone. Join me, Mary, as I talk about surviving the holidays—without losing your mind, your wallet, or your sanity. We’ll laugh at Hallmark fails, celebrate Die Hard moments, and maybe even find ways to help someone else this season. Thi...

Send us Fan Mail Part 2 is here! 💕  This week on Being Mary , we’re talking about connection, home, and embracing new adventures — because aging isn’t about slowing down, it’s about showing up differently. Let’s keep walking, laughing, and growing — together. 🎧 Tune in now to Aging & Thriving, Part 2. Support the show www.beingmary.ca https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb https://www.instagr...

Send us Fan Mail New episode is up!  This week, I’m diving into Part 1 of Aging & Thriving — how to stay healthy, find new purpose, and keep your independence strong. Retirement isn’t the end — it’s a new beginning. Come age with me — the best is still ahead. 💫 🎧 Listen now on Being Mary. Support the show www.beingmary.ca https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb https://www.instagram.com/beingm...

Send us Fan Mail This week’s episode of Being Mary is a special one — a reflection as I turn 69. It’s been a year of growth, loss, laughter, and new beginnings. From publishing my memoir to launching this podcast, from road trips and friendships to moments of deep reflection — 68 taught me a lot about resilience and gratitude. I share why these conversations mean so much to me, and how each episod...

Send us Fan Mail Some mornings I sit with my coffee and wonder… is this it? Retirement is supposed to be the best years of our lives, but what do we really do with them? That’s why I started my new podcast Yes, I Can! —a celebration of saying yes to life at any age. 💕 Episode 1 is out now—come join me as we talk about purpose, adventure, and living fully—because if I can, so can you. 🎧 Listen he...

Send us Fan Mail "Today’s episode of Being Mary is for the outsiders—the deep feelers, the ones who never quite fit in. 💫 Your strangeness isn’t a flaw—it’s your gift. Listen now!" Support the show www.beingmary.ca https://www.facebook.com/beingmaryvdb https://www.instagram.com/beingmaryvdb/ https://www.youtube.com/@BeingMaryVDB https://www.tiktok.com/@maryvdb