The Gen X Shift

With 18 episodes out in the world, it’s time to take a summer break for a few weeks to work on some other projects (including an IRS tax audit!), find a college intern to help with the podcast, and prepare an exciting free program for Gen X’ers who feel lost, trapped, and hopeless.   As Michele celebrates launching the podcast and producing 18 episodes, she reflects on the Gen X communit...

“If we can find ways to shift our perspective on what change is and what we find to be acceptable or unacceptable change, we might actually see that we can move through it with more confidence, courage, and clarity.”   When you’re facing a major change in life, it’s normal to feel like a deer caught in the headlights, not knowing which direction to turn or what to do. But there’s a way t...

“Think of transition or shifts as the tiny micro moments that eventually make up the big change that you notice.” In this week’s shorty solo episode, Michele dives into 3 key observations about the distinctions between change and transition that can make all the difference in how you face (or don’t face) life’s changes.   The reason these observations are key is because when change has h...

Is it possible to become a master of transitions? It is when you realize that all transitions - whether it's a career shift or retirement - are basically the same at the end of the day. They take time, require honoring an ending, and demand intentionality about a new beginning. In this must-hear episode, Michele teams up with transition coach Suzanne Campi – a Baby Boomer with a wealth of wisdom w...

Of all the transitions that Gen X’ers are facing at this stage of life–from dating to finding our purpose–do you know what they all have in common?  They all often have a missing link that looms like a shadow over our ability to find the confidence, courage, and clarity we need to make important shifts.   And more often than not, that missing link is our unconditional self-worth:&nb...

Michael O’Brien’s last bad day was a head-on collision with a motorist while he was training on his bike on the sweltering roads of New Mexico that almost killed him. Fast forward through weeks of rehab and the moment when Michael remembered a lesson from playing sports growing up: when things are going too fast, take a timeout and breathe.   Michael began pausing, breathing, a...

Welcome to this week’s episode on redefining dementia and what it looks like to be a caregiver of someone with dementia. Michele’s conversation with Lizette Cloete is bound to inform and inspire Gen X’ers who are handling the challenging journey of caring for a loved one with dementia. Lizette is the owner of Think Different Dementia, where she works with caregivers to transform their ca...

Sometimes, no matter how impressive our resume or list of accomplishments are, we can’t seem to outrun the sense that we’re never going to be enough or do enough. And when we spend decades living under the shadow of that “not enoughness,” we learn to please everyone else except ourselves. As a result, we end up living life on everyone else’s terms instead of our own.   This wee...

Are you one of those Gen X’ers who has a closet full of clothes that you don’t wear anymore? Maybe they don’t fit right or don’t feel like “you” anymore? Or you have to dress a particular way at work that doesn’t really align with who you are. Or maybe you’re a casual, jeans, t-shirt, sneaker-wearing Gen X’er who’s never uttered the words “personal style.” Well, after this episode, you’r...

Welcome to the follow-up episode in the conversation with Christina Lord where Michele and Christina get into practical tips to support Gen X’ers in grieving the loss of a parent. As always, the first step is to acknowledge and validate your grief, as well as the past grief that can re-surface later.  Christina discusses how important it is to be kind to yourself, tune into what your body nee...

Welcome to Part 2 of this month-long series on navigating parental loss as a Gen X’er. This week Michele sits down with Christina Lord, owner of Authentic Action Coaching, who shares her experience of navigating the loss of her parents and the impact it had on her life.  Christina discusses the differences in grieving for her mother and father, and the importance of giving herself grace...

This month marks the start of a special series to address the journey that so many Gen X’ers find ourselves on–losing our parents. In Part 1, your host, Michele, discusses her personal experience of losing her mom, Patty, in 2012 from a sudden heart attack at the young age of 58. Michele shares some of her fondest memories of her mom and how her mom was her biggest champion. And whe...

Michele’s guest this week is Sara Giita Flores, owner of Embrace Your Voice.  Sara transformed her life from a place of trauma-induced silence and shame into one of radiant self-expression.  Drawing wisdom from her 17 years as a voice coach, speaker, and singer/songwriter, Sara helps soulful women to speak their truth and spread their message.  Her healing work has been featured on...

Michele sits down with Dr. Leona Allen of Freedom Health Systems and The Heal Deal Podcast.  Dr. Allen shares her personal healing journey from being overweight and dealing with pre-diabetes, fatty liver, and gallbladder disease.  As a chiropractor and functional nutritionist for 20 years, Dr. Allen emphasizes the importance of mindset in healing and the need to believe in one's ability...

This week Michele sits down with independent financial advisor, Will Hoffman, to discuss financial issues facing Gen X’ers.   Will is a Financial Advisor, an AIF® designee, and Founder and President of Hoffman Wealth Management.  As a financial advisor for 20 years, Will develops customized and comprehensive financial planning solutions for his clients, while building strong relatio...

This week Michele sits down with friend and fellow coach, Jen Porter. Jen is a leadership coach who specializes in helping ambitious women connect their purpose with their work and carve their own path for the second half of life. She spent the first half of her career helping Fortune 500 companies, as well as global non-profits and ministries build strong, effective teams through recruiting...

This episode is comin’ in hot with a conversation with Josh Thurmond, who is the owner and creator of Lava Box Portable Campfire, Shark Tank winner, adventurer, and designer. This episode is for anyone who would like to start a side hustle, your own business, or be inspired about how to keep reinventing yourself in your 40s and beyond. Josh bestows us with some powerful words of wisdom at the...

Michele welcomes her first guest, dear friend, and badass Gen X’er, Monique Jones. Monique is a 2-time Ironman, fitness instruction, and plant-based athlete who shares her fitness journey in the hope of inspiring other women, and particular communities of color, to find a healthier lifestyle.   Monique is an attorney by day and a health and wellness coach by night. She hails fr...

Don’t take your dreams to the graveyard. Hosting a podcast has been a dream of mine for years. And I’ll be damned if I was gonna take this dream to the graveyard with me.  So, in keeping with the saying that “done is better than perfect,” I’m launching my dream into the world.   Welcome to The Gen X Shift podcast! In this inaugural episode, I share a bit of my backstory, w...