How to Lose the Wait | Women Over 50

Holly Toscanini | Women's Confidence
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Weekly

For women over 50, women’s podcasts don’t get more real about body image, confidence, and starting now. Welcome to How to Lose the Wait with Holly Toscanini, a warm, witty podcast for midlife women who are done postponing their lives until they feel ready. Through candid stories and honest conversations, Holly explores self-help, intuitive living, confidence building, and midlife transformation. Find self confidence tips, inspiration for late bloomers, and women’s empowerment to help you trade perfectionism and people-pleasing for personal growth and a life that feels like your own. Stop waiting. Start living.

  1. 2d ago

    140. How to Stop Waiting to Feel Ready (And What to Do Instead)

    Holly Toscanini explains why waiting to feel ready keeps you stuck — and three types of yes that build self-trust and momentum. Waiting to feel ready is one of the most common ways women delay the life they actually want — and in this episode of How to Lose the 'WAIT,' life coach Holly Toscanini explains how to stop waiting to feel ready and start moving forward anyway. Readiness isn't a state you achieve before action. It's something that's revealed through it. Holly walks through where the habit of waiting comes from — including Good Girl Syndrome and the conditioning that taught women to over-prepare before entering any room — and reframes what readiness actually means. Then she shares how to recognize the quiet nudge that tells you it's time, and three types of yes that build self-trust from the ground up. In this episode: Why readiness rarely arrives before action — and what does insteadThe internal HP statistic on women, confidence, and over-preparingWhat Good Girl Syndrome is and where it comes fromHow to tell the difference between fear of danger and fear of growthWhy confidence comes after action, not beforeTiny, medium, and big yeses — and why the small ones matter mostHow to identify one yes you can practice this weekResources mentioned: The "What's Next?" Self-Coaching Session (free): https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/lead_542 When You Can't Stop Second-Guessing Yourself, a 5-day private podcast https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/dm_7519 #StopWaiting #SelfTrust #WomenOver50 #Readiness #HowToLoseTheWait how to stop waiting to feel ready, stop waiting, self-trust, Good Girl Syndrome, women over 50, midlife confidence, how to take action, fear of change, readiness, life coach for women, personal growth, intuition, confidence Licensed Podcast music https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    140. How to Stop Waiting to Feel Ready (And What to Do Instead)

  2. Oct 26

    139. How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt During a Big Life Transition

    Big life transitions like an empty nest, menopause, or a career change can open up room in your life, and the old habit of saying yes often fills it right back up. In this episode of How to Lose the 'WAIT,' life coach Holly Toscanini explains how to set boundaries without guilt during a big life transition. Holly walks through where the pull to people-please comes from, including Good Girl Syndrome and the fawn response, why it tends to get louder when your role changes, and what it quietly costs you. Then she shares three small practices to start this week: noticing your script, setting one low-stakes boundary, and letting guilt become useful information. In this episode: Why people-pleasing often gets stronger after the kids leave, during menopause, or in a career changeWhat Good Girl Syndrome is and where it comes fromA 2010 study on why women apologize more than menHow the fawn response makes a reasonable boundary feel physically scaryThree simple phrases for saying no without over-explainingHow small boundaries build self-trust over timeResources mentioned: The "What's Next?" Self-Coaching Session (free): https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/lead_542 When You Can't Stop Second-Guessing Yourself, a 5-day private podcast https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/dm_7519 Chapters 00:00 When life changes but your yes stays the same 01:29 Good Girl Syndrome and the rules behind people-pleasing 03:26 Why women may apologize more often 04:24 How transitions give old rules new places to land 05:52 The costs: lost preferences, lopsided relationships, and guilt 07:18 How the body signals an automatic yes 08:47 Practice 1: Notice the script 09:23 Practice 2: Try one small boundary 10:21 Practice 3: Let guilt be information 11:20 Build self-trust and choose your next chapter Research referenced: Schumann, K., & Ross, M. (2010). Why women apologize more than men: Gender differences in thresholds for perceiving offensive behavior. Psychological Science. The fawn response is a term from therapist Pete Walker. Licensed Podcast music https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/6GJuZEsiMkM

    139. How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt During a Big Life Transition

  3. Oct 19

    138. Gut Health After 40: What Bloating, Fatigue, & Brain Fog Are Telling You, with Karli Blackwell

    Wellness coach Karli Blackwell explains how gut health, inflammation, and blood sugar affect energy, bloating, and sleep for women over 40 and in menopause. Fatigue, bloating, brain fog, and the 3 p.m. crash often get brushed off as part of getting older. In this episode of How to Lose the 'WAIT,' life coach Holly Toscanini talks with wellness coach Karli Blackwell about gut health after 40 and what those everyday symptoms may be telling you. Karli spent nearly twenty years with digestive issues, saw five GI doctors, and tried every diet from SlimFast to Weight Watchers before she started asking why her body felt the way it did. She now works with clients on three areas she calls the pillars of health: gut health, inflammation, and blood sugar balance. She and Holly talk about why so many women push through symptoms for years, how these three areas show up in perimenopause and menopause, and how to start listening to your body again after decades of following someone else's food rules. In this episode: Why Karli started asking "why" after her fifth GI doctor diagnosed IBSThe difference between symptoms that are common and symptoms you have to live withEveryday signs your gut could use more support, including sugar cravings and moodWhat inflammation has to do with how you feel day to dayWhy blood sugar matters for energy, cravings, and sleep even if you aren't diabeticHow gut health, inflammation, and blood sugar show up in midlife and menopauseHow to start trusting your body's signals after years of dietingWhy a human coach can see things a midnight Google search can'tOne micro move for this week: track your energy for a few daysConnect with Karli Blackwell: Instagram: @loving.my.gut https://www.instagram.com/loving.my.gut FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/p/Loving-My-Gut-100077920909689/ WEBSITE: https://karlibguthealthcoach.wixsite.com/mysite Resources from Holly: The "What's Next?" Self-Coaching Session (free): https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/lead_542 When You Can't Stop Second-Guessing Yourself, a 5-day private podcast ($37): https://withme.so/hollytoscanini/dm_7519 This episode is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor before making changes to your health care, medications, or supplements. Licensed Podcast music https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8 gut health, gut health after 40, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, blood sugar, menopause, perimenopause, women over 40, IBS, energy, sleep, non-diet, listening to your body, wellness coach, midlife health

    138. Gut Health After 40: What Bloating, Fatigue, & Brain Fog Are Telling You, with Karli Blackwell

  4. Oct 12

    137. Age, Wisdom, and the Power of Not Giving a Sh*t

    Why body insecurity and ageism keep women waiting to live, and three practices to rebuild self-trust and body confidence after 40 and 50. If you've been putting something off until your body looks right or you feel young enough, this episode is for you. Holly Toscanini looks at where body insecurity really comes from, why ageism makes it louder in midlife, and how self-trust helps you stop waiting. You'll get three practices to start this week and one honest question to sit with. Try "What's Next?”, Holly's free self-coaching tool: https://whats-next.hollytoscanini.workers.dev/ body image after 50, body confidence, midlife, aging, ageism, menopause, self-trust, intuition, diet culture, How to Lose the WAIT Licensed Podcast music https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    137. Age, Wisdom, and the Power of Not Giving a Sh*t

  5. Oct 5

    136. How You Were Conditioned to Stay Small with Christine Agro

    Most women have had this experience at least once. They’re in a conversation — a meeting, a relationship, a family situation — and they know exactly what they want to say. And then something happens in the space between knowing and speaking. What comes out is smaller, softer, more careful. Or nothing comes out at all. It’s not a confidence problem. It’s not a mindset problem. According to today’s guest, it’s something more specific — and something that most healing and growth approaches never reach. In this episode, Holly is in conversation with Christine Agro, founder of the Intrinsic Energy® Institute and the woman who identified and named Patriarchal Encodement™ — an energetic conditioning so embedded in women’s experience that it shapes how they think, feel, speak, and relate to themselves, often without any awareness that it’s happening. In this conversation, Holly and Christine cover: What Christine was observing in her clients that led her to identify Patriarchal Encodement™ — and the moment she realized it was systemic, not individualWhat Patriarchal Encodement™ is — and what makes it different from how we usually talk about patriarchal conditioningWhy women continue to struggle with the same patterns despite years of therapy, personal growth, and healing work — and what most approaches missThe specific experiences women have learned to tolerate: self-doubt, over-giving, difficulty setting limits, guilt, staying silent to keep the peaceWhat is actually happening when a woman knows what she wants to say and still can’t say itHow this conditioning shapes a woman’s relationship with her bodyWhat it means to clear something at its energetic roots — and why that produces a different resultFree resource from Christine: Patriarchal Encodement™ Workbook — download free at: https://www.christineagro.com/peworkbook Christine Agro — Intrinsic Energy® Institute: https://christineagro.com/ Instagram: @christineagro https://www.instagram.com/christineagro Facebook: @christineagro https://www.facebook.com/christineagro YouTube: youtube.com/christineagro https://www.youtube.com/christineagro why women stay silent, women silencing themselves, patriarchal conditioning, internalized patriarchy, how patriarchy affects women, women finding their voice, women’s self-worth, women’s boundaries, women’s empowerment, trusting your intuition, Christine Agro, Patriarchal Encodement, Patriarchal De-Encodement, Intrinsic Energy Institute, energetic healing women, clearing energetic patterns, women in midlife, why women hold back, women’s voice and power Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    136. How You Were Conditioned to Stay Small with Christine Agro

  6. Sep 28

    135. Menorexia-Menopause, Body Image & Midlife Confidence

    What is menorexia? You've got a changing body, a culture that expects you to hide the change, & the old promise that life gets better once you get your younger body back. I draw on decades of dieting history and my years working in intuitive eating and body acceptance to explore why health-promoting habits & restrictive thinking can look so alike from the outside, & why the better question is what's driving a habit & what it's costing you.  The Honest Answer Coach If you'd like help finding your one honest next step, try The Honest Answer Coach, my free self-coaching tool. You tell it what you've been feeling, and it asks a few thoughtful questions to help you get to what's underneath and leave with a next step that fits your actual life. https://holly-toscanini-f50a.mykajabi.com/the-honest-answer-coach If You Need Support If food, exercise, or your body are taking up more space in your life than you'd like, you deserve support from someone who specializes in this. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders offers a free helpline staffed by licensed therapists at 866-662-1235 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern), and a treatment directory at findEDhelp.com. The helpline isn't a crisis line. If you're in crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Related Episodes Episode 134: Hormone therapy and sexual health with Dr. Jennifer Roelands Episode 133: You're Not Becoming Invisible. You're Becoming Harder to Ignore. Research Mentioned National Alliance for Eating Disorders, "Eating Disorders in Midlife and Beyond" (about 13 percent of women 50 and older report at least one current eating disorder symptom) 2023 analysis in Menopause estimating midlife eating disorder prevalence at roughly 3.5 percent, with individual symptoms more common (summarized by LifeStance Health) #menopause #perimenopause #menorexia #bodyimage #womenover50 #bodyacceptance #intuitiveeating #midlifewomen #howtolosethewait Licensed Podcast music https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    135. Menorexia-Menopause, Body Image & Midlife Confidence

  7. Sep 21

    134. Stop Waiting to Feel Like Yourself Again- Dr. Jennifer Roelands

    OB-GYN Dr. Jennifer Roelands on why women normalize symptoms for years, how to advocate in the exam room, and what to know about hormones and sexual health. You’ve noticed changes in your sleep, your energy, your mood, your body, or your sex drive — and you’ve been wondering whether you simply need to push through them — today’s conversation may help you ask a better question- What if you don’t have to keep waiting to feel like yourself again? Holly’s guest is Dr. Jennifer Roelands, a board-certified OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine specialist with 17 years of active clinical practice at Precision Health MD in Orange County, California. She has spent nearly two decades watching women be dismissed, misdiagnosed, and undertreated — and built her practice around the conviction that women over 35 deserve the clinical explanation their 15-minute appointment never has time for. Her book PIVOT | You Are Not Crazy: Perimenopause Edition releases October 15, 2026. What it means to become the SHE-EO of your health when you feel overwhelmed or talked over in the exam roomThe PIVOT framework from Dr. Roelands’ new book — and the step women most often skipThe most persistent myths about hormone therapy that still keep women from having an informed conversationWhy sexual health is still treated as optional rather than a core part of women’s healthcareHow to talk with a partner about changes in desire, discomfort, or how you feel in your bodyHow to think about long-term health without making aging another exhausting standard to meetResources from Dr. Roelands: Free guide — How to Talk to Your Doctor: https://drjenniferroelands.com/perimenopauseguide/ PIVOT | You Are Not Crazy: Perimenopause Edition (releases October 15, 2026): https://drjenniferroelands.com/pivotbook/ Precision Health MD: https://drjenniferroelands.com/ YouTube — Dr. Jen MD: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC16IWACsU9FPpkYlLENEjg Instagram: @dr.jenniferroelands https://www.instagram.com/dr.jenniferroelands/ #perimenopause #womenshealth #womenover40 #drjenniferroelands #selftrust #PIVOTbook #womenover50 #menopause Additional Resources Mentioned: Dr. Kelly Caspern- You Are Not Broken https://www.youtube.com/@kellycaspersonmd Emily Morse- Sex with Emily https://sexwithemily.com/ Dr. Emily Nagoski- Come As You Are https://www.emilynagoski.com/ Subscribe for weekly episodes on self-trust, honest communication, and what it actually looks like to stop waiting and start living. https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    134. Stop Waiting to Feel Like Yourself Again- Dr. Jennifer Roelands

  8. Sep 14

    133. You’re Not Becoming Invisible. You’re Becoming Harder to Ignore

    There’s a conversation happening about midlife invisibility. About the moment women realize they’re no longer turning heads, no longer registering the way they once did. And most of the responses are about how to fix it. I think the framing is off. Not because the experience isn’t real — it is. But because there’s a question nobody is asking before the style tips arrive: what kind of visible were you? And is that what you actually want back? In this episode of How to Lose the ‘WAIT’, I'll draw a distinction most conversations about midlife invisibility miss: the difference between the genuine experience of being dismissed or overlooked, and the loss of a conditional visibility that required women to perform, accommodate, and make themselves useful in order to be seen. Those aren’t the same thing. And treating them the same leads to the wrong solution. What you’ll learn: Why the experience of feeling invisible in midlife is real and worth taking seriously — without a list of style tipsThe two very different experiences women conflate when they say they feel invisibleThe question that changes everything: what were you visible as?What conditional visibility actually cost — and why its fading might not be entirely a lossWhat the most compelling, clear-eyed women in midlife have in commonThe specific waiting pattern the invisibility experience activatesWhy the visibility that actually sustains you doesn’t come from being confirmed by the right peopleSubscribe for weekly episodes on self-trust, honest communication, and what it actually looks like to stop waiting and start living. Newsletter- Subscribe https://holly-toscanini-f50a.mykajabi.com/newsletters/the-unwaiting-room/subscribe feeling invisible in midlife, midlife women visibility, women over 40 confidence, midlife identity, women feeling invisible at 50, midlife women empowerment, how to feel visible again, midlife invisibility, aging and self-worth, self-trust women over 40, women and aging, midlife confidence, women becoming invisible, showing up https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: VGZ66UBEGXBP8YK8

    133. You’re Not Becoming Invisible. You’re Becoming Harder to Ignore
See All (140)

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

For women over 50, women’s podcasts don’t get more real about body image, confidence, and starting now. Welcome to How to Lose the Wait with Holly Toscanini, a warm, witty podcast for midlife women who are done postponing their lives until they feel ready. Through candid stories and honest conversations, Holly explores self-help, intuitive living, confidence building, and midlife transformation. Find self confidence tips, inspiration for late bloomers, and women’s empowerment to help you trade perfectionism and people-pleasing for personal growth and a life that feels like your own. Stop waiting. Start living.

Information

  • Creator
    Holly Toscanini | Women's Confidence
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Holly Toscanini | Women's Confidence
  • Show Website
    How to Lose the Wait | Women Over 50