Fate, Forty, and Beyond

Gen Rodriguez

Life after 40 isn’t about having it all figured out…it’s about laughing, learning, and spinning the wheel again. Fate, Forty & Beyond is a soulful, unfiltered podcast where real conversations meet spiritual perspective. Guided by tarot, intuition, and honest storytelling, each episode explores the messy, magical truth of being 40-ish and still becoming. Pour a cup, pull a card, and join women from all walks of life as we talk love, growth, setbacks, and surprises with humor and heart.

  1. 3d ago

    What If the Setback Is Actually the Way Forward?

    In this episode of Fate, Forty, and Beyond, I’m joined by branding expert, confidence coach, and Byte Size Brands podcast host Kusha Kalra for a conversation about trusting yourself, taking risks, and creating a life that actually feels aligned. Kusha shares her journey from leaving a successful corporate career to prioritize motherhood, navigating the uncertainty of entrepreneurship, and eventually building a global branding business—all while learning that sometimes the path forward looks nothing like we originally imagined. fileciteturn0file0 We also get into intuition, manifestation and aligned action, Human Design, emotional sensitivity, parenting, financial preparation, and what it really takes to keep going when life knocks you off course. And, of course, we bring tarot into the conversation. What unfolds toward the end of Kusha’s reading is one of those synchronicities you simply couldn’t plan—and a beautiful reminder of what can happen when we trust ourselves enough to keep moving forward. Timestamps:[4:00] - A tarot reading begins with the Death card and a conversation about endings, new beginnings, and rediscovering who we are in midlife. [7:19] - Kusha shares why she walked away from a dream corporate career to be present for her son—and how that decision eventually led her toward entrepreneurship. [13:10] - We talk about redefining failure, believing in yourself, and having the courage to step back, reassess what isn’t working, and try a different path. [15:24] - Kusha opens up about experiencing an online financial scam, stepping away from her business for more than a year, and finding the courage to return. [21:35] - Manifestation needs action. We dig into why following your dreams still requires consistency, structure, commitment, and actually showing up for your business. [32:21] - Thinking about leaving a 9-to-5? Kusha shares practical advice about preparing financially for self-employment and creating a cushion before making the leap. [39:25] - We explore Human Design, intuition, emotional sensitivity, boundaries, and how greater self-awareness can help us stop fighting who we are and start working with ourselves. Links & ResourcesSoulful Existence — My work with women through tarot readings, past life regression, and mediumship sessions.The Cosmic Brief — My astrology app designed to help you bring astrology into your everyday life.Kusha Kalra / The Bespoke Designs — Kusha’s branding, strategy, design, consulting, and mentorship work.Byte Size Brands — Kusha’s podcast about branding and business.Human Design — Discussed throughout the episode as a tool for understanding your natural tendencies, gifts, emotional patterns, and decision-making.If this conversation resonated with you, share this episode with another woman who might need to hear it. And if you’re enjoying Fate, Forty, and Beyond, I’d love for you to follow the podcast, rate and review the show, and share it with someone you love. Your support helps more women find these conversations and remember that none of us are navigating midlife alone. Website: fatefortyandbeyond.com Instagram: instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond TikTok: tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond Facebook: facebook.com/share/1EHkva7rBs

  2. Aug 10

    What Is Human Design? A Beginner's Guide

    Ever followed advice that was objectively good and it still didn't work for you? It's probably not a you problem...it might just not have been built for how you're wired. In this mini episode, I break down human design: what it is, where it comes from, and how it actually works in real life. I cover the body graph and its nine energy centers, the difference between defined centers (consistently you) and open centers (where you take in and amplify others' energy), and the five human design types — Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors. I also unpack "authority," the practical piece that tells you how you're built to make reliable decisions. Then I get personal, sharing my own chart and how understanding it has changed how I make decisions, run my businesses, and show up in my tarot and mediumship work. Timestamps: [00:00] Cold open: why good advice sometimes doesn't land [02:30] What human design actually is [04:00] The four traditions + the body graph [05:30] Defined vs. open centers [09:15] The five types: Manifestors, Generators, Projectors, Reflectors [14:30] What is authority? [19:00] Split definition and the right angle cross of Eden [24:00] Why the podcast's mini episodes are changing [29:00] Homework: find your own chart If you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  3. Aug 3

    Is It Too Late to Start Over in Your 40s?

    At 44, Sonia had a customer service job she loved and a second marriage that finally felt safe...and she still enrolled in welding school, because she didn't know what she wanted next and decided to find out. In this tarot reading, Gen and Sonia cover a lot of ground: what it looks like to reinvent yourself without a crisis to justify it, why receiving good things doesn't have to be earned, and Sonia also opens up about what it took to finally leave her first marriage for good, and how long it took her to trust her own read on a relationship that never felt right. They also trade real tools for protecting your energy as an empath, talk about what it costs to hold onto resentment, and land on the ancestral spirituality neither of them grew up calling "witchcraft"...a grandmother's spirit, a basket of eggs by the back door, a prayer instead of a church pew. Sonia's advice to her 20-year-old self might be the simplest thing said on this show all year: it's all worth it. Timestamps: [00:18] Why Gen started the podcast[01:36] Meet Sonia[02:23] Why welding, and imposter syndrome[06:35] Into the reading: Eight of Cups[09:27] The Empress: learning to receive[13:31] Fighting for independence[14:20] Naming a marriage as abusive[16:44] The Chariot and the "desert period"[18:21] The Hanged Man: looking for trouble[20:08] Manifestation scripting[26:03] What resentment costs[28:54] "Bless and release"[30:58] The bubble method[32:18] Witchcraft as consistency[34:42] Inherited protection rituals[42:00] Stopping for a stranger's kid[53:06] Kali: burning down what no longer works[55:14] Green Tara: asking for help[58:27] Advice to her 20-year-old selfIf you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  4. Jun 29

    What Happens When You Stop Apologizing for Who You Are?

    What Happens When You Stop Apologizing for Who You Are? This week Gen sits down with Trinity Peterson — owner of Esoteria LLC, tarot reader of 31 years, registered behavioral technician, spiritual guide, and someone who recovers out loud so other people don't have to die in silence. What starts as a live tarot reading turns into one of the most wide-ranging, honest conversations this show has had. They talk about reading cards intuitively, what pantheism actually means in practice, the divine feminine and masculine coming into union, and what it feels like to finally stop performing the version of yourself you thought you were supposed to be. They also talk about gray hairs, skincare routines neither of them stick to, the universe as sugar daddy, body image, sobriety, and astrology as the user guide you actually came with. And then, at minute 58, Trinity mentions she died in 2021 and came back. Yeah. That's getting its own episode. [00:00] Welcome & Introducing Trinity Peterson[05:15] "The fog is finally lifting" — collective spiritual awakening[05:45] Live tarot reading for Trinity[07:10] Coming into union with yourself[08:30] Recovery, pantheism, and recovering out loud[11:00] All roads to LA — spiritual diversity[15:30] Fear of being seen & Trinity's YouTube origin story[18:30] Getting older, the bixie cut, and renegotiating the deal[22:00] Adding whimsy — goblets and dressing up for the girls[28:00] Being "intensely creative" and the art of unfinished things[38:00] The St. Simon's retreat: beach meditation, lunar manifestation, group soul retrieval[42:15] The hermit problem[46:15] Trinity's spiritual origin story[51:05] Astrology, transits, and why Gen built The Cosmic Brief[52:35] Chiron in Taurus — what's coming up for both of them[58:10] Trinity died in 2021 and came back[1:05:00] Body image, movement, chronic pain, and one-day-at-a-time[1:08:40] "This is more than a meat suit"[1:09:07] How to find TrinityFind Trinity: YouTube — Esoteria LLC | Email — trinity@esoteriallc.com | Website (coming soon) — esoteriallc.com If you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence The Cosmic Brief: www.thecosmicbrief.app Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  5. Jun 22

    What Is Chiron in Taurus: And Why It Matters So Much in Midlife

    What is Chiron in Taurus — and why does it matter so much in midlife? In this mini episode, Gen breaks down one of the most significant astrological shifts in years — Chiron moving into Taurus — and explains exactly why it's especially powerful for women in their 40s and 50s. No astrology background needed. Just an open heart and a willingness to look at the beliefs about worth that have been running the show. Gen walks through all 12 astrological houses to help you find where this transit is most active in your own life, and offers five grounding ways to work with this energy in real, practical ways — from clarifying your values to finally learning how to receive. The wound was never that you lacked worth. The wound was believing you did. [00:00] Welcome & intro[02:30] What this episode is about[04:00] What is a transit in astrology?[06:30] The mythology of Chiron: the wounded healer[09:00] What Chiron means in your chart[12:00] Chiron moves into Taurus[16:30] Taurus themes: body, safety, worth, and values[20:00] Why midlife women are especially affected[24:00] The Chiron return and age 50[28:00] How to find your Chiron placement[31:00] The houses: what they reveal[33:00] 1st House: Identity & self-image[36:00] 2nd House: Money & self-worth[39:30] 3rd House: Voice & communication[43:00] 4th House: Home & emotional safety[47:00] 5th House: Joy, creativity & pleasure[51:00] 6th House: Work, health & routines[55:00] 7th House: Relationships & partnership[59:00] 8th House: Intimacy & transformation[63:00] 9th House: Beliefs & spirituality[67:00] 10th House: Career & legacy[71:00] 11th House: Community & belonging[75:00] 12th House: Subconscious & ancestral healing[79:00] 5 ways to work with this transit[88:00] Closing reflectionIf you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence The Cosmic Brief App: https://www.thecosmicbrief.app Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  6. Jun 15

    What's the Real Difference Between Magic and Manifestation?

    What's the Real Difference Between Magic and Manifestation? This week, Gen sits down with Sunshine Witchski — known as Sunshine the Pink Haired Sober Witch — host of the Sober Witch Life Podcast, author of Sober Witch Life and The Recovery Grimoire, and founder of a growing recovery coven movement. In recovery from alcohol use disorder since 2019 (with roots going back to 2015), Sunshine brings a powerful, grounded perspective on what it means to merge sobriety with spiritual practice. The two dive into the real difference between magic and manifestation — intention plus action equals manifestation — and why visualization alone isn't the whole recipe. They explore the subconscious fear of being "too big," reframe imposter syndrome, and Sunshine shares a moving chakra-based ritual for releasing shame and guilt. The conversation also covers somatic nutrition, nervous system regulation, navigating long-term relationships, and what true wealth really means. A tender, honest conversation about recovery, spirituality, and learning to take up more space. Resources: Sober Witch Life by Sunshine Witchski (book)The Recovery Grimoire by Sunshine Witchski (book)Sober Witch Life Podcast, hosted by Sunshine Witchskisoberwitch.life — Sunshine's website, recovery coven, and retreat informationFood Therapy by Luis Mojica (book on somatic nutrition)Suno — AI music creation tool referenced for affirmation playlistsMarianne Williamson's well-known reflection on fear and personal power - Our Deepest FearGoddess Guidance Oracle DeckWild Offering DeckThoth Tarot DeckTimestamps: [00:18] Gen's intro and her new app, The Cosmic Brief[01:50] Sunshine's recovery story[11:05] The tarot reading begins[21:25] Intention plus action equals manifestation[27:53] The fear of being "too big"[32:12] AI affirmation music with Suno[35:01] Somatic therapy and Food Therapy[40:18] The sleep-food-caffeine check-in[52:38] The pigeon pose ritual for shame and guilt[59:15] Redefining wealth[1:01:19] Advice to a 20-year-old self[1:03:22] Where to find SunshineIf you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com The Cosmic Brief: https://www.thecosmicbrief.app Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  7. Jun 8

    Can Tarot Help You Make Better Decisions?

    In this solo mini episode of Fate Forty and Beyond, Gen explores how tarot can be used as a powerful tool for self-reflection and decision-making. Rather than treating tarot as fortune-telling, Gen explains how symbolic imagery can help uncover thoughts, emotions, fears, and truths that may already exist beneath the surface. Drawing from her own experience as a tarot reader and spiritual practitioner, she discusses the psychology behind tarot, Carl Jung's concept of active imagination, and why so many of life's biggest decisions become more complex in midlife. You'll also learn a simple tarot spread you can use when you're feeling stuck and how to approach readings in a way that supports clarity rather than dependency. Timestamps• [00:00] Welcome to Fate Forty and Beyond • [01:00] Introducing The Cosmic Brief astrology app • [02:15] Why tarot is often misunderstood • [04:20] The history and symbolism behind tarot • [06:40] Carl Jung, active imagination, and meaning-making • [09:15] Why major decisions feel so difficult • [12:10] Midlife decisions carry different emotional weight • [14:00] How to use tarot as a decision-making tool • [16:15] A simple three-card spread for clarity • [19:00] Why your first reaction to a card matters • [22:10] Confirmation versus prediction in tarot readings • [24:30] The limitations and misconceptions of tarot • [28:15] Creating a personal practice of self-reflection • [31:00] Beginner tips for starting with tarot • [32:15] Final thoughts and closing message Key TakeawaysTarot works best as a reflection tool, not a prediction tool.Difficult decisions often involve conflicting values rather than a lack of clarity.Your reaction to a tarot card can be more revealing than the card's textbook meaning.Most readings confirm what you already know but haven't admitted to yourself.Tarot cannot replace research, therapy, medical advice, or personal responsibility.The goal isn't finding the "right" answer—it's creating space for honest self-reflection.If you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

  8. Jun 1

    I Wasn't Buried...I Was Planted

    I Wasn't Buried...I Was Planted What happens when life knocks you down — not once, but twice, twenty years apart? In this episode, Gen sits down with Irene Vaksberg, a Soviet-born immigrant, hairdresser, mother, grandmother, and soul inspirer whose story will stop you in your tracks. At 23, Irene was pulled from a crushed car by the Jaws of Life — and had a full near-death experience where she met God, watched her life like a movie, and was sent back with an assignment. Then at 43, a second car accident shattered everything she'd built and forced her to finally answer that original call. She walked through years of chronic pain, depression, financial loss, and isolation — and came out the other side with her soul dancing. Gen and Irene discover just how much they share: car accidents, chronic pain recoveries, the word surrender as a turning point, sobriety, and the strange grace of losing everything only to find something better. The episode weaves in live tarot and oracle card pulls and closes with Irene's message to her 20-year-old self: "You're a rock star. Keep shining. You're going to survive all of it — and it's going to become your superpower." Episode Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome & Introduction to Irene Vaksberg[00:51] Irene's Background: Soviet Immigrant, Hairdresser, Grandmother[02:27] Tarot Pull: Seven of Pentacles & Knight of Swords[04:55] Irene's First Car Accident at 23 & Her Near-Death Experience[06:20] The Assignment: Sent Back to Teach, Guide & Share[08:44] The Second Car Accident at 43 — 20 Years Later[10:39] Rock Bottom: Praying to Leave & the Miracle She Almost Said No To[12:54] Getting What You Need, Not What You Expected[15:47] The Word That Changed Everything: Surrender[17:15] Gen Opens Up About Recovery & AA[19:42] Women, Voice & Why We Were Ever Quiet[23:49] "Your Accent Is Your Golden Card"[29:50] Gen's Car Accident & Her Own Healing Journey[34:30] "I Wasn't Buried — I Was Planted"[39:49] Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You[43:20] Stop Stressing, Start Blessing[47:36] Healing Through Food & the Yuka App[51:09] Goddess Oracle: Mary Magdalene — Unconditional Love[53:00] Wild Offering: Solitude — The Right People Arrive[54:10] What Would You Tell Your 20-Year-Old Self?If you love warm, real midlife conversations with humor and heart, you'll feel right at home here. Follow the show & connect with Gen: Gen's Website: http://www.soulfulexistence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfulxistence TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulfulxistence Podcast homepage: http://www.fatefortyandbeyond.com Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatefortyandbeyond Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fatefortyandbeyond

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Life after 40 isn’t about having it all figured out…it’s about laughing, learning, and spinning the wheel again. Fate, Forty & Beyond is a soulful, unfiltered podcast where real conversations meet spiritual perspective. Guided by tarot, intuition, and honest storytelling, each episode explores the messy, magical truth of being 40-ish and still becoming. Pour a cup, pull a card, and join women from all walks of life as we talk love, growth, setbacks, and surprises with humor and heart.