Cannonball with Confidence into Midlife with Amy Schmidt of Fearlessly Facing Fifty
Show Snapshot:
Amy Schmidt is a podcaster, author, and TEDx speaker, and she did it all on the cusp of 50 and after years as a stay-at-home mom. With the mantra “you’re never too old, and it’s never too late,” Amy shares how to “cannonball” into midlife with confidence, grace, and humor. Plus, we talk overcoming self-doubt, the fear of failure, and how to be your own best friend.
In This Episode We Cover:
1. Recognizing we are works in progress.
2. How to create midlife confidence.
3. A two-word mantra to make 2021 your year.
4. From ”mom” to “me” again.
5. Why to embrace being a novice.
6. How failure builds confidence.
7. What’s a “highlight reel” and why every woman needs one.
8. How to be a good friend to yourself.
9. Modeling reinvention for our daughters.
10. Amy’s dream podcast guest.
Quotable:
Self-care is not looking at what other people want, but actually what you need and how your cup is being filled. And I think that's a real transition for us as we age.
Just start. Just do it. What's the worst case scenario? So, you make a mistake. So, you fail. You can always learn from that experience. And with failure comes more confidence.
Snackable Smarts:
After years as a stay-at-home mom, Amy had a stop-me-in-my-tracks moment where she looked at her life and wondered, "Where did Amy go? She's a mom, she's a sister, she's a daughter, she's a wife. But where is that woman that was going to set the world on fire in 1991?"
As our kids' age, we can look at our lives as women and moms and realize there's still so much more that we have to give, to serve, to learn about. Look at your past experiences – ask yourself -- what you need and how your cup is being filled – and use that to propel yourself forward.
Amy says she is a total work in progress. And that she continues to be a work in progress.
Are you looking to make 2021 your year, to return to work, to try something new? Follow Amy's simple advice: Just start. Just do it. Ask yourself what's the worst-case scenario? So, you make a mistake. So, you fail. You can always learn from that experience. And with failure comes more confidence. Don't wait for it to be perfect—cannonball off that high dive.
Women sometimes feel like we become irrelevant and outdated. But with technology, we have everything at our fingertips. Embrace being a novice. Just embrace it and continue to learn and challenge yourself.
Create your own highlight reel. We are the historians of our life. We're the keeper of our stories. Take some" me time" and fill the bathtub, go outside, take a walk. But go through and look back at what you've accomplished over these last years. Write them down and see how that translates to propel you forward.
Ask your friends, that person that you can call and say, you know, "What is it that you really like about me? Why did you choose me as your friend?" And as awkward as that is, it's so fabulous to listen and absorb what that friend tells you because they say, "You know what. You're good at connecting people. Or you're good at this."
The highlight reel is not just for women looking to return to work after a career break. It's a tool for women who are currently working and who may be thinking about a pivot or a next step or new chapter. The idea of looking back over your career history can build your confidence for what's next. Consider asking a mentor, a colleague, a junior staffer to help weigh in.
Be a good friend to yourself. Think of how you welcome people into your house. You welcome them just with respect and with love and with kindness. Treat yourself as a guest of honor and treat yourself with that respect.
Establish boundaries. We learn that over time. We can't always be the yes person and say yes to everything. We have to create boundaries. Whether that's as simple as not checking social media for a day or not checking it first thing in the morning, maybe it's not answering work emails on the weekends.
We do take these steps for our daughters. They see us talk about the challenges around aging and friendships and menopause and health and relationships. I hope one of their takeaways will be that they don't have to say yes to everything.
Word of Mouth. Amy’s Resource Recommendations:
I'm doing live shows which is great. I'm doing one with a woman named Jean Chatzky to talk about finances as we reboot with confidence in 2021. I'm doing a great career comeback with you Katie and Ginny Brzezinski, that's going to be awesome. Find all of these events on my website, FearlesslyFacingFifty.com.
Transcript
Katie Fogarty (00:09):
Welcome to A Certain Age, a show for women on life after 50, who are unafraid to age out loud. I'm your host, Katie Fogarty.
I think the world can be divided into two kinds of people. People who enter the pool or the ocean gingerly, dipping a toe in, wading in, and slowly, bracing against the cold. And then there are people who race to the edge of the water and throw themselves in. My guest today is somebody who makes a big splash. Amy Schmidt is a podcaster, a TEDx speaker, and author of Cannonball: Fearlessly Facing Midlife and Beyond. And Amy did it all after 50 and after years as a stay-at-home mom. I am thrilled she joins me today to share how to cannonball into midlife with confidence, grace, and humor. Welcome, Amy.
Amy Schmidt (00:56):
Hey, thanks so much for having me. It's going to be so much fun. I love that intro. I'm picturing the whole cannonball thing already. I do it every time.
Katie (01:03):
I love it.
Amy (01:05):
Jumping off!
Katie (01:05):
Exactly. I love you and your spirit. I'm so excited that this is happening because we've been talking about it for a while. And before we dive in—and I’m definitely going to stop with all the bad puns—I introduced you as somebody who makes a big splash, but when listeners read your book, when they listen to your podcast, and they hear your TEDx, you are very clear that you evolved, right? To become somebody who cannonballs so openly into the pool and into life. That this confidence came over time. And frankly, as you aged. I would love it. If you could open up by sharing a bit more about your personal story with the listeners.
Amy (01:40):
Absolutely. I love that. Yeah. Thanks for asking that because you know what, I am a total work in progress. I say that in my book and I continue to be a work in progress. You know, my story is not that atypical, tot that unusual. I married my college sweetheart. We've been married for 28 years. Crazy. Can you believe that? And I started as a journalist, you know, ready to set the world on fire. That's what I wanted to do. Moved to Indianapolis, started that, and then got married. And with that came three kids, 11 moves around the country and around the world. And a little bit of some stop-me-in-my-track moments that were like, "Where did Amy go? What's she doing?" You know, "She's a mom, she's a sister, she's daughter, she's a wife. And where is she? That woman that was going to set the world on fire in 1991." So, you know, a lot of my story kind of parallels women that decide to stay home.
My husband was moving. His trajectory of moves was like every two to three years max. And I, kind of, I say this often in so many friends say, "Oh, don't say that." But I kind of took on this role of traveling spouse. And you know, what we do that we have to reinvent ourselves. We multitask, we reinvent. Everywhere I went, I looked at it as a new opportunity. I was always a writer. So, I could always write with the power of the internet. I was very involved in every community that I lived in, volunteering on boards, or for PTA, or for sports clubs, or whatever. Coaching, all of those things I did. And then I got to a point before I was turning 50. And I was sitting in my house—and I talk about it often, I talk about it in my TED Talk—and it was quiet. And for me, that was like, that never happened. You know, you’re a mom Katie, you know how it is, we're always busy and it was quiet and I thought, wow, I am completely needed now in a different way, but there's still so much more than I need to do to give, to serve so much more I want to learn about.
So, that's where this all evolved for me. You know, I looked at all of my past experiences and kind of just used all those to propel me forward. To now live in what I call, you know, it sounds cliche, but it really fulfilled life. Really happy. And I never really thought I would be saying that in my fifties. So, that's kinda my story.
Katie (04:07):
Such a great story. And I love how you share that some of your friends said, you know, "Oh, Amy, don't call yourself a traveling spouse." Or maybe, you know, sometimes we're embarrassed to admit we're a homemaker or a stay-at-home mom. My kids are 20,17 and 13. I have left the paid workforce twice. I've been a stay-at-home parent at different points. And I think a big part of the appeal of your book, of your story, of your show, of your TEDx is that you are truly honest about who you are. And what you've been, and the journey that you've walked on, and that you're not trying to hide it. But I know that returning to work after a career break, returning to professional ventures like podcasting and authorship, is scary and hard when you've been home for a while.
Amy (04:49):
Right.
Katie (04:50):
How did you get the wherewithal to do it? What advice would you be giving to women who are listening to this who are thinking, "You know? 2021 is my year to try something new and to return to work.”
Amy (05:01):
Right. And just to answer that simply is, "Just start." You know, those two words: just start. Just do it. You know, what's the worst-case scenario? How many times do we tell our kids, "What's the worst-case scenario?" So you make a mistake, so you fail. You can always learn from that experience. And with failure comes more confidence. So, that would be my advice. To say, you know, "Just start wherever you are. Don't wait for it to be perfect.” You know, that whole vision of cannonballing off that high dive. I mean, can you imagine. You know, jumping off. Uncomfortable? Yeah. Wrapping your arms around your legs and is it going to be pretty? But I always say, "You gotta start ugly." And you make the splash; you have to do it. So, for who's ever listening. Please just start. It doesn't have to be a podcast or a book. It can be getting out of bed and walking to the mailbox and saying hi to a neighbor. You may never have done in the past. It's that type of thing.
You know, for me, with my podcast journey, it was really a bit scary because I think back, and I had Nancy Davis Kho on my podcast awhile ago. And I know, you asked this great question about what you feel like as you age. And she said the word "relevant."
Katie (06:07):
Such a good word.
Amy (06:07):
And I think there's a point—which I love, you know—I love that because I think as women, sometimes we tend to feel like we're becoming irrelevant and outdated. And I had a bit of that when I thought about doing this podcast. I wasn't a podcast junkie. I wasn't a listener. I really didn't know how to do it. I didn't have any clue. The equipment or anything to start. But I knew I had that journalism bug. And I love to interview people and have conversations and learn from each other. So, I knew I had that part, but I needed to learn the technology. And I say it often, but I also said in my TED Talk... The first time I went to record my first episode, which is over a year ago, I forgot to push record. And seriously, if you Katie, we're to see me after I did this whole monologue, and it was just me talking, it was like, "Oh, I'm going on and on, as you can see, I'm a talker." And you know, I get done with it and I'm doing my little happy dance thinking I just recorded this award-winning podcast. And then when I go to look for the audio file, it, wasn't there. And I'm like, "Are you kidding me? I mean, why are you thinking you can possibly do this at 50?”
Katie (07:14):
But I bet that's a mistake you never made twice. Right. You have to be uncomfortable, you have to screw up in order to keep going and have progress.
Amy (07:26):
And I think the world we live in right now, I mean we're sitting here doing this via Skype. I mean, you know, Zoom, we all should have bought stock in Zoom. I mean, I can't tell you how many times over the holiday, my husband and I said, "Boy. We could be a zillionaire."
Amy (07:41):
Yes, yes. What were we thinking? But you know, this whole technology thing, we have everything at our fingertips. So, as a woman right now, there's nothing that's in our way as stopping us. It's to get past that fear and say, you know what? It might take a while, but my advice is to embrace being a novice. Just embrace it and continue to learn and challenge yourself. And that's how you break those barriers. And I can't tell you, I share this space with you and I know there are amazing women out there that are doing things over 50. And we're just getting started. We really are.
Katie (08:13):
Totally. This is exactly how I found you. Amy's wonderful podcast, by the way, is called Fearlessly Facing Fifty. I will definitely be linking into the show notes to it so you can discover it. She has wonderful, wonderful guests, but I love your mantra of, “Just start.” Because sometimes I think what's in our way is ourselves and our inability to face our fears. To be willing to be uncomfortable and to really get going. So, for anyone who's listening, I love, "Just start." And I love, "Start ugly." It doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to get done.
I really related to something, you said a few minutes ago, Amy, where you talked about how you felt a lack of confidence at different points during this journey. And that sometimes when you're a stay-at-home parent, you begin to question whether or not you really have what it takes. You know, do you have the goods to get back in the game?
And I remember very clearly years ago when my husband and I had young kids, we were living in Manhattan. Anyone here who's a New Yorker knows you go to cocktail parties and people ask you very annoying questions. Like, "What do you do?” the moment they meet you. And I used to just…I would go to my husband's work events and I would be dying inside. Because I knew eventually the group would look at me and say, "What do you do?" And I'd have to confess that I was home with my kids. And it was literally like womp womp. Like people would just like turn their heads. They had no interest in talking to you if you were just a stay-at-home mom and it was demoralizing. So, it's so important to recognize that other people are having that exact same experience. And that you can get back in the game but it can be difficult.
So, what would you recommend in terms of boosting midlife confidence? Because I know your book focuses on several different chapters about how you cannonball into life, how you face your fears. How you deal with things like perfectionism and changing relationships and navigating marriages. But you do have a very wonderful chapter on boosting confidence at midlife. And I would love to hear your thoughts on that.
Amy (10:16):
You know, I think that what we need to do as women, especially, and men too because my husband will say, You know what? We go through stuff too. It's not just women."But you know, as women, that's such a great question. I write about it because there are so many times that people will say, “Oh, what do you do?” You know, you're standing there. I met at a corporate event with my husband or something. What are you doing? Well, you know, “I'm just…” How many times do we start our sentences with, “I'm just a stay at home mom” or, “Oh, I was just a teacher 10 years ago.” You know, that whole doom and gloom thing. And we have to get past that.
The strategy I have around that is, is something I call the highlight reel. And I know we talked about it briefly, Katie, a couple of months ago when we were having a conversation because a friend of yours used something similar to that. And for me, a highlight reel is not looking back and saying, "Oh, remember when?" But looking back and seeing what you've accomplished and thinking back to what you did at 35. Maybe you weren't working in corporate America at that point, but maybe you were managing a committee of volunteers and a budget of a million bucks. Maybe you were managing a project raising funds. All of these things and all of these stories, these experiences, these mistakes you've made, all translate. And, you know, we really are the historian of our life. We're the keeper of our stories. We're the only ones that know that.
So, the first step for women listening in 2021 is take some "me time" and fill the bathtub, whatever it is. Go outside, take a walk. But go through and look back at what you've accomplished over these last years. Write them down and see how that translates, to propel you forward. So, you can feel confident applying for a job. You know, you look on indeed and all of a sudden there's an application there for a job. And then it looks pretty good and you're thinking, "Oh, but I don't check all those boxes." But don't worry about checking all the boxes. Men never check all the boxes anyway.
Katie (12:16):
Check at least half and then go for it.
Amy (12:18):
Absolutely. And not to male bash because that's just how they're wired. But as a woman, if you don't check all the boxes, don't worry about it. Apply. Again, what's the worst-case scenario? So, I think building your confidence is really self-reflection that power of self-reflecting. And even to go a little further with that—we probably could share this, Katie. I feel like Katie is a new friend now in my life, someone that I never had met before and our paths have crossed, and we share all of these commonalities—use those anchors in your life, those friends that have, that person that you can call and say, you know, "What is it that you really like about me? Why did you choose me as your friend?" And as awkward as that is, it's so fabulous to listen and absorb what that friend tells you, because they say, "You know what Amy. You're really good at connecting people. Or you're really good at this.” And all of a sudden, once again, there's that power of reflecting on what and where you add value. And use that to propel you forward. So, that's my building confidence strategies that I really try to incorporate.
Katie (13:20):
Such great advice. Not simply for women who are looking to return to work after a career break. This is great advice for women who are currently working. Who are thinking about a pivot or a next step or a new chapter? Because even very successful career women sometimes think, "I'm in a box. And I can't stay stray from my lane because I can't add value over in the other lane." So, the idea of looking back over your career history, coming up with a highlight reel, asking a mentor, a colleague, a junior staffer to help weigh in. It's such great advice and an exercise that I actually do with a lot of my clients when I'm doing my career coaching and my LinkedIn work with them, is to ask them to survey maybe a dozen trusted people in their life and ask for three-words that describe their value. I've done this myself. It's so wonderful because you get this really gratifying list of words from people. And because you're only asking for three words, you're making it really easy for people to do. But you receive this wonderful list of words. And for me, when I did this exact exercise, every single person who wrote back uses the word "good listener," and it was really like a wake-up call. I was like, "Wow, you know, that’s so nice to hear."And I incorporated that language and that thinking into all the copy that I used on my corporate website about how I can really hear your career story and help you share it. So, tap the people that know you and your work well. I absolutely thank you for jogging my memory on that because that's such a wonderful tool. Amy, another thing—
Amy (15:00):
Go ahead. I'm sorry to interrupt you. You're a true testament to that. Because look what you're doing now.
Katie (15:05):
I know, I love listening to people's stories.
Amy (15:09):
Fabulous. I love it. So, check the box right there on the old highlight reel. Because you are, that's a true testament right there.
Katie (15:16):
Awesome. Thank you, Amy. So, you are a good new friend, but one of the things that I flagged in your book when I was reviewing it again before this call, was your notion of being a good friend to yourself. That just jumped off the page to me because earlier this month I spoke to my friend, Lisa McCarthy, who's a wonderful and very, very, mega-successful corporate coach who works with clients at Facebook and Google and Nike and a whole roster of leading companies. And one of her key elements of coaching is that you should…The most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. And a lot of times women do not treat themselves the way they treat other people. We don't talk to ourselves the way we would talk to our children, in a supportive, loving, and nurturing way. We can be very critical, you know?
Amy (16:09):
Really?!
Katie (16:09):
Is it just me, am I the only one?
Amy (16:16):
No, I totally agree.
Katie (16:18):
So, let's talk more about this. Because I know you touch on it in your book a little bit. I want to hear what does it mean to be a good friend to yourself and how might we put that into practice?
Amy (16:27):
Great question. I love that. And once again, I'm a work in progress on this… you know, it really is, but this has been something I've really been focusing on. And, you know, when you think about having people over, back pre-COVID, when we were having people over and entertaining or having guests for the weekend, you know, how do you welcome those people into your house? You welcome them just with respect and with love and with kindness. So, my thing is to treat yourself as that guest of honor, you know, make yourself that guest of honor and treat yourself with that respect. And like you said, talk to yourself as you would your child or your best friend. And that's so hard for us to do, you know, the whole concept of being a good friend to yourself.
I think, also, you have to position yourself in a position of power. And what I mean by that is establishing boundaries for certain things. And I think we learn that over time. You know, we can't always be the yes person and say yes to everything. We have to create boundaries. You know, whether that's as simple as not checking social media for a day or not checking it first thing in the morning to start your cadence off a little bit differently. Maybe that's a boundary you need to set for yourself to treat yourself a little bit more like that guest of honor. Maybe it's not answering work emails on the weekends. That's something that I've really tried to incorporate, and that's a boundary I had to set. And something really simple that you might be able to relate to too, is back in the day, man, I would get an email or a text and I'd have to respond to it right away, or I'd start feeling guilty about it. And sometimes I'd respond too quickly that it was too emotional or it wasn't, you know, well thought out. And so, I've given myself now this gift of grace, this boundary of saying, you know what, I'm giving myself 48-hours, 48-hours to respond. I think is reasonable, unless it's something with urgency, but you know, those are establishing boundaries that you're treating yourself better. You're taking some time for yourself. I think it's so important.
And of course that whole part of self-care, you know, not looking at what other people want, but actually what you need and how your cup is being filled. And I think that's a real transition for us as we age. It's very easy for us to say yes to a committee or chair and event that we've done for 10 years, because we're like Mikey in that old Life commercial, “Oh, Mikey he'll do it. He always eats it,” or whatever, you know, “Amy will do it. She's done it for 10 years.” Sure. I could do it. And I've got all the templates and I've got all the budget information, but is it for them, or is it really what I need to do? And I think those are things we can start really thinking about as women as we age and just treating ourselves with kindness and respect and saying, no when we have to.
Katie (18:59):
Love that. I think, honestly, when I look back over my life and I think of the times that I felt like a grownup, you know, they're things like turning 21 or getting married or hitting 40. But if I really had to parse this, I would say I became a grownup when I was able to say no. Seriously. I mean your parents tried to teach you to say no since you hit your teen years. But the ability to say no without feeling guilt is truly the hallmark of being an adult in my book.
Amy (19:30):
Yeah. That's so true. I agree. A hundred percent. And I think, you know, for us too, with daughters right now, I know you have a daughter as well. And I have one, that's a young adult that works every day. And I've seen her through a completely different way because I see her working all these hours. She moved out in New York City until the office opens. So, she's back home and she's seeing what I'm doing. And she's seeing at times I'm saying no to things, and I think that's going to translate to her as well. And I think it's so important. I think what we're doing Katie, in this space for our daughters, where they're seeing us talk about the challenges around aging and friendships and menopause and health and all of these things, relationships, it's going to just pay it forward so big for our daughters. I really feel confident about that. And I hope one of their takeaways will be, they don't have to say yes to everything.
Katie (20:18):
Absolutely. And that there's the possibility of reinvention too. Because I know that I love that you talked about your daughter and how you're modeling certain behaviors for her too. And I feel like I've watched my mother, return-to-work and shift careers. And I'm sharing that with my kids right now, including my son. I mean, I have two boys. And I remember at one point driving my youngest to nursery school and I was driving him and we were talking about jobs or something. And he said, well, "Women don't have jobs." I almost swerved off the road. I was like, "What are you talking about?" Like, you know, Grams is a librarian and she works. We're going to school where your teacher is a woman and that's a job. And your pediatrician is a woman and that's a job. But, you know, I think that he was thinking of jobs in a very organized office-kind-of-sense where you're carrying a briefcase and you're wearing a tie. But that was the modeling that he had. And once I righted the steering wheel and stopped my panic, I realized I had to be doing some messaging around this.
Amy (21:20):
Yeah. Isn't that funny? I had my son who now is 17, but you know, when he wasn't driving when I was writing this book and I remember one time, a good friend of mine called and said, you won't believe what Caleb said, because usually, I was the mom that picked up everybody from sports practices or shuffled them here, there, and everywhere. I lived that. And evidently, my son said, "Oh, I don't know if my mom can do it. She works now."
Katie (21:44):
And you're like, "I have always been working."
Amy (21:48):
Exactly. But I just think about that, and it's just funny.
Katie (21:52):
That's so funny. So, Amy, you talked about becoming a podcaster later in life and really teaching yourself at which I think is such an important thing for anyone listening. Who's thinking, you know, I want to try something new. I mean, it's easy. It's never been easier to learn and do new things. I would love to hear that what guest has really knocked your socks off on the show or has shared advice that's changed you?
Amy (22:17):
Mm boy. What a great question. Because I feel, I don't know about you, but after every podcast, I just get off and just push the end button and I sit there and just feel so much gratitude for what these women have just shared with me. Because I learn every time I talk to somebody, I'm learning from them. But one of the interviews… I have two actually if you don't mind. I'll be brief on them. But, one incredible woman. And I just wrote an article for my blog about women that I really admire, because every year I do a… My mom passed away five years ago unexpectedly. And she always had her house open to women, always. She was just that social butterfly. And so, every year I do a luncheon to honor her, or a kind of brunch. And so this year we couldn't do it in person, but I just wrote about it. And it was eight women that I really admire over this past year that have touched my life in a certain way. And I do that annually. But one woman is a woman by the name of Victoria Knight. And Victoria is our age she lives in Florida, she’s a mom of three, and her life completely changed five years ago when her son, John Michael had a stroke. He was 18 at the time. He had just signed a Division One scholarship to play lacrosse in college. And he...Vicky told me about the texts that she got, that she received and she was in the car wash or something. And all of a sudden it said, "Mom, I don't feel well." And from that, you know, it, it went on and she has since published a book with John. John has something called John Michael has locked-in syndrome. So, she is his full-time caretaker.
Katie (23:51):
Wow.
Amy (23:52):
She has two other children. It was when the unexpected happens. It's actually a podcast interview that we won an award for. Her story. Her voice. When she told the story, I just let her talk because it was one of those that still...it brings goosebumps to me. It has changed me in a way that I think about her so often. Not in a way, I mean, she's a caregiver and for her son... But also for her other children and for her. She has a full life and a busy life. And when she shared her story of standing in the emergency room or in the ICU unit and looking at John Michael. And he was not conscious, she had no idea that he had... He would have locked-in syndrome at this point. But this is about 48-hours in...she got a glimpse of herself in the emergency room window and she said, "Oh my gosh, who is this person in the mirror? I mean, who is this woman?" And I think, for so many women after that particular episode, so many women reached out and said that they could...the message just resonated how we as moms, just try to put on that cape and put fear aside and just be there. And she knew at that moment, when she saw that glimpse of herself, it wasn't the Victoria that John Michael knew every morning when he left for school and made him breakfast and all that. And she went home and put this cute little outfit on and cleaned up and took a nap and went back to the hospital. There was no change, but it was that moment that sticks with me so often. Especially as moms, it's a very powerful episode. So, I would have to say that that's somebody that I've learned a tremendous amount from through this journey. She's courageous and brave and amazing.
And of course, another one I would have to mention is Maye Musk just because Maye is 72 and Elon's mom. Of course, I had to ask about that. But she also shared her story of being in a very abusive marriage, very difficult, and really had to...she left in the middle of the night with her kids and now is standing tall, and went on to get advanced degrees in nutrition. And as a model for Cover Girl at 68, she signed a contract. This woman has overcome so many things. So, those two interviews really do stand out to me. And women that are friends and our mentors and just incredible stories.
Katie (26:14):
I absolutely love those. I'm going to put them both in the show notes because I'm sure our listeners want to hear them. And I actually follow Maye Musk. I can't remember when I first came across her on Instagram but followed her with her hashtag, I think it's like #70andjustgettingstarted or something. And she literally glams her way across the globe. She is stunning and striking and smart and witty and a total blast to follow on Instagram. I had no idea. Somehow I missed this on your podcast. I will be tuning in! Two great examples.
Amy (26:49):
It's a real powerful one. So sorry to take a little too much time with that. Incredible women. I hope listening. Yeah.
Katie(26:57):
I really want to hear both of those stories and I feel like for all moms who are coming, you know, sort of out of this COVID era, who can relate to remind me of the woman's name, whose son had John Michael's mother.
Amy (27:11):
Yeah. Victoria Knight. Oh, it's just one of those that just.... I've had her on since. And you can read a little bit about it on the blog, too, about why I admire her. She's an amazing woman. And nothing stops, you know, women, we are a force to be reckoned with and it's pretty incredible. And I feel very lucky and grateful to cross paths with these people that share their voice and their bravery and their stories because it's incredible.
Katie (27:43):
It inspires us to keep going, even if we're not tackling things that are hard. I also think it kind of reorients your brain sometimes. Because the past few months have been so challenging on so many levels, but you realize that other people are really just struggling with things that are so powerful and challenging, and it helps to remind you that your own life... It's that saying that you would rather carry your own burdens than somebody else's. And it's just a great reminder. Thank you for sharing that story. Who do you have as a guest that you would love to have that you've not yet spoken to?
Amy (28:18):
Oh, man. Great question. Oh boy. Well, you know, I say it so often. Brené Brown. I love her. I have loved her for so long. I think she's amazing. And has done so much for women, just around empowerment and I'm telling it like it is so that's somebody I'd love to have on the podcast. She's definitely one that is on my wishlist. You know, I kind of have my list of my people that I'd love to have. And she's top of that list.
Katie (28:48):
She should top any list.
Amy (28:50):
Pretty amazing. I feel like, you know, it's so funny cause I mean her....the books I have of her as our dog here, I listened to her podcasts. I mean, she's just a really cool, authentic, and I think we talked about authenticity too, a little bit. You know it's very important to be authentic in this space. And I think people know, especially as podcast hosts too, you know, they're going to stay for the host, to be honest. And when they can relate and they know that the content is relevant and good and all of that and Brené... It just like, I swear she could be on this with us right now. And it would feel like we knew her forever.
Katie (29:25):
She is such a gift. And I agree—the podcasts that I love listening to—you feel like the host is a friend or that you're having a conversation. And frankly, in COVID-times I find myself relying on podcasts more than ever before. Because it is so hard to see people and is hard to be in a room full of dynamic, amazing women, which is my favorite way to spend time. I'm doing a Zoom book club tonight, which I'm excited about, but I'm getting a little tired of Zoom. So, podcasts just feel more intimate. It feels like you're part of a conversation. It feels like you're part of a community. And I absolutely adore being in this space. And I will say as much as I wish COVID had never happened, this podcast is a direct outgrowth of the pandemic—of needing to find a creative outlet, of taking this sort of, I don't want to call it a gift of time because I feel like I've been...it's just been so much work and so many disruptions and changes and stress and worry and anxiety. There's not a single person on the globe that hasn't felt anxious around this time. But it's forced me to do new things and the podcast is one of them and I'm choosing to be grateful for that.
Amy (30:38):
You're thriving. I think it's fabulous. Keep going. You know what? I remember sitting at a podcast convention a couple of years ago, before year and a half ago, something like that. And talking to a group of women who had been thinking about starting a podcast for years before, and they go to the conference, and they get all this information, and then they're too scared to start. So, I'm proud of you for starting. You're good at what you do and you bring so much value. So you got to just keep going, you know, we just gotta keep going.
Katie (31:06):
Thank you for saying that Amy. And that I think is just like so beautiful that you shared that because we have to bang other people's drums and cheer them on. And I really appreciate you saying that. I have a big goofy smile on my face, which only Dave our audio guy can see. But I love it! Thank you.
Amy, I have so loved our conversation and I know we're gonna, we're gonna keep it going because Amy and I have something we're cooking up in terms of having her come on and talk a little bit more about her book and in-depth perhaps an Instagram Live or Facebook Live. So, stay tuned. You'll be hearing more about that from me. So we're going to keep this going. But we're getting ready to wrap up this show. But before we do, you've shared great resources. I'm linking to those, your podcast, your book, in the show notes. I'm wondering if there's anything else you want to let our listeners know about. About what you're up to or resource or tool you think they should know about before we close?
Amy (32:04):
Yeah, definitely. I've got a lot going on this year. I'm doing a live show now, too, which is great. I'm doing a woman Jean Chatzky is coming up on finances. She was on, she was one of my first episodes over a year ago. And talking about finances as we reboot with some confidence in 2021 for women. I'm doing a great career comeback thing with Katie and Ginny Brzezinski, that's going to be awesome. So, all those things you can find on my website, which is FearlesslyFacingFifty.com. Fifty is spelled out. You can find me on socials. You know, I try darn hard to keep up with all the social stuff, but man, it's hard and sometimes step away, but I'm pretty consistent. @amy.k.schmidt. Katie will put it in the episode notes. You spell Schmidt the German way with the "dt." You can find me on Instagram @fearlesslyfacingfifty. On Facebook. And you know what, just reach out to me. I do give myself that 48-hour rule, but it's amy@fearlesslyfacingfifty.com. I always like engaging with my community. You know, I get some great show ideas from that and everything else. So just lots going on. So check out the website and of course just follow me, especially on Facebook. I'm pretty active on there with things that are upcoming.
Katie (33:15):
I love it. Thank you so much, Amy. It was such a treat having you.
Amy (33:18):
That was fabulous. Look forward to the next time. We'll see you soon.
Katie (33:22):
This wraps A Certain Age, a show for women over 50, who are aging without apology. And this also wraps our January shows and our month-long theme of reboot. All January long, A Certain Age features guests with ideas and inspiration for rebooting for the new year. Show One: Lisa McCarthy offering a simple tool for crushing your 2021 goals. Show Two: Dr. Vonda Wright an expert on active aging, mobility, and fitness shared strategies for exercising smarter to reverse the signs of aging. Lifestyle and wellness expert Renata Joy coaches us on Show Three, how to feel young, strong, and sexy. More of that please! And the fabulous Amy Schmidt now has us all cannonballing with confidence into a new year full of possibility.
Join me next week as we kick off February and explore love from all angles. I'm joined once again by Dr. Anita Sadatay, whose appearance to talk menopause and toxic rage was the most downloaded show from Season One. Anita joins me to talk sexual intimacy, arousal, and self-care for your lady parts, which is obviously a cannot miss. See you next time. And until then: age boldly, beauties.