Her Comeback: Transforming Your Life After 50

Michelle Thompson
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Her Comeback is a transformative podcast for women over 50 who've reached their breaking point and are ready to reclaim their lives. Life coach Michelle Thompson delivers raw, authentic conversations with women who've navigated major transitions, combining practical rebuilding strategies with expert insights on reinventing yourself at any stage. Whether you're facing an empty nest, career changes, relationship shifts, or the realization you've been living everyone else's dreams, Michelle's warm, no-nonsense approach provides the clarity and courage you need to move from survival mode to thriving. This isn't just about getting back on your feet—it's about proving that mid-life isn't the end of anything - it's the powerful beginning of everything you were meant to become. New episodes drop weekly. Your second act awaits. https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

  1. 23h ago

    Successful on Paper, Numb in Real Life: Why High Achievers Ask "Is This It?" Brandi Jo Newman on Her Comeback

    Episode overview https://www.michellethompsoncoaching.com/ Guest: Brandi Jo Newman, Host: Michelle Thompson Brandi Jo Newman grew up in East Texas on a cattle ranch and played professional golf on the LPGA Futures Tour across six continents. She went on to build and run several businesses, including a financial services firm she exited without selling, and had multiple eight-figure exits. She founded a San Antonio women's organization in 2024 and now coaches small business owners, with a focus on helping founders step out of being "chief everything officer." She is a Co-Pilot Advisor with Exit Without Selling, helping entrepreneurs exit the day-to-day without selling the business they built. She also offers a three-and-a-half-hour private coaching session for high achievers who have already won but can't feel it. She owns up to the years she was "the a**hole," explains why success can leave high achievers numb, and shares the frameworks she uses to stop spinning and start choosing. Her advice to a woman who feels stuck: stop, let the mud settle, and don't step into the swirl. Key takeaways • Be interested, not interesting. Brandi Jo's dad told her people will eat out of your hand if you care about what they want. Curiosity took her further than being impressive. • Success doesn't deliver a trophy. Moving goalposts leave many high achievers asking "Is this it?" Sometimes enough is enough, and the next step is rest, not another level. • Use SODA when your head is a pinball machine. Stop, Observe, Detach, then either Accept or Awaken. Don't insert yourself into drama that isn't yours. • Use GOALS to get clear on what you want. What do you want to gain, what is your objective, what will you accept or be awarded, what do you want to learn, and who do you want to serve? • Ask when you last failed at something. At her luncheons, most women couldn't answer, because they had stopped trying. Confidence comes from being willing to fall on your face. • You can't be both hero and martyr. Solving everyone's problems keeps others from learning to solve their own, and it often comes from the identity women saw modeled around them. • You haven't wasted the first half of your life. Every decision got you to where you are. Choose people who match your standards and don't apologize when you mean "excuse me." • Wait before you act. Let the mud settle until the water is clear, and do the inner work, because the numbness comes from living on the outside. Resources • Guest website: Brandijo.com • Instagram: instagram.com/brandijonewman • Her work (Co-Pilot Advisor): Exit Without Selling • Host's book: Courageously You: 7 Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love, available on Amazon • Work with Michelle: book a call at michellethompsoncoaching.com

    Successful on Paper, Numb in Real Life: Why High Achievers Ask "Is This It?" Brandi Jo Newman on Her Comeback

  2. Oct 23

    Your Jewelry Box Is an Asset: Know What You Own with Nidhi Singhvi on Her Comeback

    Episode summary Nidhi Singhvi, co-founder of Unvault, explains why jewelry is an overlooked asset and how women can learn what theirs is really worth. She and Michelle cover melt, resale and insurance value, common selling mistakes, and how a jewelry box can become a down payment, a business launch or a clean inheritance plan. The takeaway: just know the value; acting on it is optional. About the guest Nidhi Singhvi is co-founder of Unvault, based outside San Francisco, and a mom of a three-year-old. She grew up in India, where gold is discussed like any other household asset, then worked in consulting, currency and crypto options trading before building Unvault with a co-founder from a finance and tech background. Unvault's mission is to help American households understand, track and use the jewelry they own. Key takeaways About $750 billion of gold sits in US homes, untracked and idle; the US lacks the price transparency common in India.Know the value before you sell. Without a baseline you cannot negotiate with local jewelers or "we buy gold" shops.Appraisal (insurance) value is retail replacement cost and carries a 2x to 5x markup. It is not what you will get when you sell.Melt (scrap) value is the floor for any solid gold, silver or platinum piece. Brand, condition, box and papers, or true antique craftsmanship can lift it.Most people undervalue gold and overvalue diamonds. Nidhi cited a CNBC segment saying a diamond valued at $10,000 in 2022 is now under $3,000.A 1920s or 1950s class ring is not automatically an antique; without unique design it usually sells at melt value.Broken chains and single earrings still have value: "gold is gold."Keep what you will wear or pass down, track its value, and start selling with pieces you will never wear or that are broken.Tell your children what you own so an inheritance does not become a mess.Topics discussed What drives a piece's value: metal, brand, condition, ageCommon selling mistakes, including broken piecesWhat to keep, pass down or convertThe selling process: video-recorded testing, itemized offer, payment in 24 hoursJewelry box as a comeback: stories of women funding their next chapterOne small step this weekNotable quotes "Now we have converted dresses, and shoes, and bags to assets. I think it's time to start seeing jewelry as an asset as well.""Gold is gold.""If you don't know the value, how are you ever going to negotiate?""Just know the value. You don't have to act on it. Just that knowledge will be empowering.""You convert something that you owned, maybe was passed down to you, into something that might be your future income stream."Links and resources Unvault (free evaluation, about 60 seconds, photos only): unvault.coQuestions for Nidhi's team: contact@unvault.coWork with Michelle: michellethompsoncoaching.comCourageously You: 7 Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D

    Your Jewelry Box Is an Asset: Know What You Own with Nidhi Singhvi on Her Comeback

  3. Oct 16

    Permission to Skip the Salad: Listening to You Own Body with Katie Barngrover on Her Comeback

    Her Comeback with host Michelle Thompson https://www.michellethompsoncoaching.com/ Episode description: Functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner Katie Barngrover joins Michelle from Wyoming. A former math teacher, she shares how her own family’s health struggles led her to a new career. She explains why fatigue, stubborn weight, and restless nights after 50 aren’t just “part of getting older,” and how testing instead of guessing can help women reclaim their energy for the next chapter. In this episode Katie’s path from math teacher to FDN practitioner, and why she believes the body sends messages we’ve forgotten how to readWhat’s true and what’s a myth about “it’s just getting older”Three overlooked drivers of fatigue: cortisol rhythm, nutrient absorption, and sleep habitsThe cortisol and blood sugar loop that disrupts sleepHow functional lab testing differs from a standard annual physicalWhat a continuous glucose monitor teaches women about their individual responses to foodHealthy habits that may work against you: bedtime snacks, constant snacking, red wine or dark chocolate after dinner, and salads for some womenA small step for this week: check in with your body 90 to 120 minutes after eatingKey takeaways Say no to the activities that drain your bucket, and keep the ones that fill it.Health advice built for the “generic woman” doesn’t fit everyone, so listen to your own body.You don’t have to wait for disease to look at what your body is telling you.Memorable quote “Everybody has the ability to be healthy. We just have to believe we can do it.” About Katie Katie Barngrover is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner who uses lab work and each client’s story to build individualized healing plans. Links Free 8-minute video on blood sugar, fuel mix, and food sensitivities: https://watch.angelwinghealth.com/comeback Michelle's book Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D This episode is for educational purposes and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your own health.

    Permission to Skip the Salad: Listening to You Own Body with Katie Barngrover on Her Comeback

  4. Oct 9

    What If Your “Someday” Never Comes? with Kristy Halvorsen on Her Comeback

    Her Comeback with host Michelle Thompson, https://www.michellethompsoncoaching.com/ Description What if your someday never comes? Kristy Halvorsen was a firefighter station officer with a home she loved, a good life, and a health scare that made her stop waiting. She sold everything, moved into an Airstream, and has spent almost nine years wandering solo and off grid, rarely knowing where she's headed next. In this conversation, Kristy joins Michelle to talk about the difference between being pushed by pain and pulled by possibility, the hidden belief that her mom helped her uncover (and the two months it took to act on it), and the question she asks at every fork in the road: What would I do if I knew I couldn't get this wrong? She also shares what solo travel taught her, how grief reshaped what it means to live fully, and why it's never too late to follow the tickles of your soul. If you've ever felt a quiet pull toward something more, this episode is for you. You’ll Learn • What it looks like to be pulled, not pushed: why Kristy left a career and home she loved, with no crisis pushing her out. • The sneakiest limiting beliefs: how a single sentence from her mom surfaced a belief she didn’t know she carried. • "What would I do if I couldn’t get this wrong?" a simple question that quiets the chatter and points to the next step. • The tickles of your soul: how to listen to your inner knowing, and why it’s always been there. • Living with the unknown: a roadside breakdown, a stranger, and what happens when you just take one step. • Midlife identity shifts: loosening the labels you hold and seeing who arrives. Grief and living fully: what her mom’s illness and loss taught her about ending "someday." Quotable Moments • "The sneakiest beliefs are the ones we don’t know we have." • "What would I do if I knew everything was going to work out just fine?" • "Age and time is just some made up stuff… it’s never too late." About Kristy Halvorsen is a former firefighter station officer with a master’s in engineering. She is the author of Perfect Unfolding: Seven Years of Life-Changing Solo Adventure, One Year That Broke Me Open, a transformational memoir about travel, trust, and following your inner knowing. Connect with Kristy • Website: perfectunfolding.com (includes a 90-second book trailer and newsletter sign-up) • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristy.halvorsen/ Resources • Courageously You: Michelle’s book, Courageously You: 7 Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love, available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D • Work with Michelle: Book a call at michellethompsoncoaching.com.

    What If Your “Someday” Never Comes? with Kristy Halvorsen on Her Comeback

  5. Oct 2

    Bangs, Botox, and the Never Pause: Aging with Humor with Diane Dean-Epps

    Season 3 kicks off with laughter! Humorist Diane Dean-Epps joins Michelle to talk about the absurdities of aging, why women over 50 need more laughter (not more anti-aging advice), and how humor can carry you through the hard stuff. Diane is the author of four humor books, including BANGS 'N' BOTOX: My Aging Journey Into, Through, and Beyond Denial, Fillers & Human Preservatives, and the host of the Bangs 'n' Botox podcast. Her "sit-down stand-up" style feels like chatting over a drink with a funny friend, and her reinvention story proves there's always another path to what you want. In this episode: The doctor's-office moment ("You're aging") that sparked her bookWhat "sit-down stand-up" really means, and how she found her voiceAging as a non-famous woman: invisibility, limited resources, and why that frees her to say real thingsThe "never pause," hot flashes, and what nobody warns you aboutSnail mucin skincare and other experiments that were only marginally successfulWhy humor gets overlooked, and the many forms it can take (memes, funny friends, animal videos)The brain science of laughter and why trying something new matters as we ageTurning an embarrassing moment into a story people laugh with, not atWhy she keeps writing, and the "Emily Dickinson of humor writing" planHer comeback: leaving radio and TV, failing a high-stakes teaching exam twice, passing on the third try, and becoming a 30-year English teacherKey takeaways: Humor is a coping tool, and you don't have to be "naturally funny" to use it.Exaggerate the awkward moment and it becomes a better story.If the first path doesn't work, find another. A comeback story is always better when it wasn't easy.You matter, and you're not alone.Connect with Diane: Website: dianedeaneppswriting.com Instagram: @mswrite Also on Facebook and LinkedIn Book: BANGS 'N' BOTOX on Amazon Podcast: Bangs 'n' Botox on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms About Michelle Thompson: Michelle is a certified life coach, author of Courageously You: 7 Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love and the host of Her Comeback. Get your copy of Courageously You on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D) or anywhere books are sold. Ready to stop thinking about your next chapter and start living it? Book a call at michellethompsoncoaching.com. Loved this episode? Share it with a friend who needs a laugh, and subscribe on YouTube

    Bangs, Botox, and the Never Pause: Aging with Humor with Diane Dean-Epps

  6. Aug 15

    7 Losses, One Wake-Up Call: Paige Arnof-Fenn Redefines Success on Her Comeback

    Her Comeback with host Michelle Thompson, author of Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love- — available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold Guest: Paige Arnof-Fenn , Founder and CEO Mavens & Moguls This episode features Paige Arnof-Fenn, a Stanford and Harvard Business School graduate, board member, and columnist for Entrepreneur and Forbes, Paige shares the real story behind building a four-dozen-person, multi-city agency — and the personal losses that reshaped how she defines success. Paige started her career in finance on Wall Street before rebranding herself into corporate marketing, spending years at Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola. From there she jumped into three venture-backed startups during the dot-com boom, Then came September 11th. Marketing budgets froze overnight, and Paige, laid off from the traditional path she thought she wanted, started fielding calls from former colleagues who needed help. Her husband's advice ("send them an invoice") became the accidental launch of Mavens & Moguls, a firm built without a business plan or outside funding that now spans 14 U.S. cities and international teams. The conversation turns personal as Paige opens up about losing seven family members in six years, including both parents and her stepfather, while running her business and caring for aging relatives thousands of miles away. She describes the "Whac-A-Mole" grief of that season, how it forced her and her husband — a two-entrepreneur household with no kids to lean on for support — to rethink a life built on breakfast meetings and back-to-back networking events, and the surprising business lesson that came out of it: giving clients space and following up with patience. Paige closes with practical advice for women rebuilding after a career disruption or personal loss: get clear on your lane, pick one or two platforms that are authentic to you, protect your digital reputation, and resist the urge to be everything to everyone. She also reflects on how she wants to be remembered The episode wraps with Michelle's bonus segment on the F.I.R.E. framework from Chapter 5 of her book, Courageously You. Feel the disappointment, Ignite your power, Reveal your passion, and Execute your path — a practical tool for anyone navigating disappointment, layoffs, or a stalled promotion. In This Episode ● Paige's path from Wall Street finance to corporate marketing at P&G and Coca-Cola ● Lessons from three dot-com-era startup exits ● The 9/11 moment that launched Mavens & Moguls ● Building a firm across 14 U.S. cities without a business plan or funding ● Navigating the loss of seven family members in six years ● Why “giving space” outperforms constant follow-up in business development ● Advice for women rebuilding after career disruption or loss ● Choosing the right social platform for your authentic brand ● How Paige wants to be remembered ● Bonus: Michelle's F.I.R.E. framework from Courageously You Connect With Paige Arnof-Fenn Mavens & Moguls: mavensandmoguls.com LinkedIn: Paige Arnof Fenn Connect With Michelle Thompson Website: michellethompsoncoaching.com Instagram/Facebook: @michellethompsoncoaching

    7 Losses, One Wake-Up Call: Paige Arnof-Fenn Redefines Success on Her Comeback

  7. Aug 8 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Episode: I Was the Guest — My Conversation on the You Are Worthy Network

    Bonus Episode: Michelle Goes Behind the Mic — My Conversation on the You Are Worthy Network This week's episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a guest, I was the guest — sitting down with host Steve Wormer on the You Are Worthy Network for a wide-ranging, deeply personal conversation. I'm sharing that full interview with you here as a bonus episode of Her Comeback. Steve and I covered a lot of ground: my roots as a native North Carolinian who moved to Southwest Florida in August 2020, my two grown sons and our shared love of NC State football, and a rapid-fire round of "this or that" questions that revealed a few surprises (Dunkin' over Starbucks, hotels over camping, and yes — I love both dogs and cats). But the heart of this conversation goes much deeper. I opened up about my journey from a directionless college senior with a double major in economics and sociology, into two decades of corporate project management — and the darker chapter that ran alongside it. I talk candidly about my history with alcoholism, the 2008 family intervention that led me into treatment, losing custody of my boys during that time, and the long, gradual process of moving from denial and victimhood into real accountability and change. I also share the twist I didn't see coming: a job offer rescinded over a 20-year-old DWI, and how that setback led me right back to the employer — and the second chance — that put my life back on track. From there, we trace the throughline to today: earning my MBA at 47, the corporate crossroads that pushed me toward coaching, and the whirlwind timeline that took me from deciding to write a book last Thanksgiving to publishing Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love on June 25, 2026. Steve asked me the question I didn't expect: what would today's Michelle say to the 38-year-old walking into treatment? My answer is in the episode — and it's rooted in a Robert Frost line that's become a personal anchor: "The only way out is through." Plus: The R.I.S.E. Framework At the end of this bonus episode, I walk through the R.I.S.E. framework from Courageously You — the one that speaks directly to the hardest chapter of my story: Recognize the denialInventory the impactSeek supportExecute the commitmentIf you're stuck in a season where denial is keeping you from moving forward, this framework is your starting point. It's not about shame — it's about telling yourself the truth and taking one small action within 48 hours. Connect with Michelle: 🌐 michellethompsoncoaching.com 📱 Instagram & Facebook: @michellethompsoncoaching 📖 Get Courageously You on Amazon (Kindle, paperback, and hardcover) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D 🎙️ Interested in coaching? Reach out through the contact info in the show notes. https://www.michellethompsoncoaching.com/contact Thank you to Steve Wormer and the You Are Worthy Network for having me, and thank you for being part of this community. Your story isn't done yet either.

    Bonus Episode: I Was the Guest — My Conversation on the You Are Worthy Network

  8. Jul 24

    From Bulletproof Vest to Chocolate Farm: Anne van Leynseele's Radical Reinvention on Her Comeback

    Host: Michelle Thompson Guest: Anne van Leynseele What do a Hollywood producer, a cannabis attorney, an Obama administration federal advisor, and an award-winning chocolate farmer have in common? They're all the same person. Anne van Leynseele joins Michelle to unpack the throughline behind a career built on reinvention as a discipline, not a fluke — and how her years inside the Social Security Administration led her to create Preferment®, a registered alternative to retirement built around lifelong developmental milestones instead of decline. Anne opens up about a career-defining trauma — a business partner who stole from her and threatened her life — and how that experience became a turning point toward empathy and post-traumatic growth. She and Michelle talk about identity beyond career ("who are you," not "what do you do"), the 67% depression statistic among retirees, and why Anne bought a farm in Hawaii at 48 to build a completely different next chapter. The conversation closes with Anne's chocolate farm, her cookbook Savor Your Chocolate, and her Adaptable House Project reimagining aging in place. Anne van Leynseele is the founder of Rarified Life and creator of Preferment®, a registered methodology offering an alternative to traditional retirement. Her career spans Hollywood production, Fortune 100 consulting, and service as a federal attorney-advisor in the Obama administration, including time at the Social Security Administration, where she saw firsthand how the traditional retirement model fails high-achieving people. She later founded an early cannabis law practice, co-owns an award-winning cacao farm on Hawaii's Big Island (Pa'ani Farms), and is general counsel for five nonprofits focused on at-risk youth and aging in place. She's the author of multiple books, including one on healthy retirement alternatives, one recounting her experience surviving betrayal and threats within the cannabis industry, a chocolate cookbook, and a book for young women. Notable Moments ● Anne on why she never had a single career: she followed a passion for stories across law, business, and writing rather than staying in one lane. ● On the SSA years: she noticed a pattern of high-achieving people whose sense of identity collapsed the moment their career ended. ● On Preferment®: she describes retirement as a product with a two-thirds failure rate that deserves a recall, not a rebrand. ● On courage: she credits self-efficacy — proof to yourself that you can learn hard things — as the real engine behind reinvention at any age. Resources & Links Mentioned Anne's Website: RarifiedLife.com Anne's Books: Preferment™ on Amazon https://a.co/d/0cjBn4UoSavor Your Chocolate on Amazon https://a.co/d/0bgptvAjHer upcoming book is Girls to Rule Anne's Social: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook (search "Anne van Leynseele" or "Rarified Life") Michelle's Book: Courageously You: Seven Simple Frameworks to Create the Life You Love — available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5717G3D Work with Michelle: michellethompsoncoaching.com/contact

    From Bulletproof Vest to Chocolate Farm: Anne van Leynseele's Radical Reinvention on Her Comeback
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About

Her Comeback is a transformative podcast for women over 50 who've reached their breaking point and are ready to reclaim their lives. Life coach Michelle Thompson delivers raw, authentic conversations with women who've navigated major transitions, combining practical rebuilding strategies with expert insights on reinventing yourself at any stage. Whether you're facing an empty nest, career changes, relationship shifts, or the realization you've been living everyone else's dreams, Michelle's warm, no-nonsense approach provides the clarity and courage you need to move from survival mode to thriving. This isn't just about getting back on your feet—it's about proving that mid-life isn't the end of anything - it's the powerful beginning of everything you were meant to become. New episodes drop weekly. Your second act awaits. https://hercomebackpodcast.com/

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