A New Life Story: Emotional Healing & Midlife Transformation for Women

LaShonda Walker
  • 4.9 (17)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

A New Life Story is an emotional wellness podcast for women in midlife who are ready to heal, grow, and create meaningful change. Hosted by Certified Life Coach LaShonda Walker, this bi-weekly podcast offers practical tools to help you navigate emotions, set healthy boundaries, and build stronger relationships. If you’re experiencing midlife transitions, emotional burnout, or feeling disconnected from yourself, this podcast will help you reconnect with your needs and reclaim your voice. Each episode explores emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and how to release limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. Learn how to process emotions, improve communication, and develop the confidence to live with clarity and intention. Through self-discovery and actionable strategies, you’ll gain the tools to create a more balanced, fulfilling life. If you're ready to stop surviving and start living with emotional clarity, this podcast will guide your journey. It’s time to rewrite your story and create A New Life Story.Visit the website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoachJoin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching

  1. May 19

    47. Grief, Loss & Emotional Healing with Diandra Ford-Wing

    Send us Fan Mail Some conversations find their way back to us exactly when we need them most. Recorded nearly a year ago during a season of major life transitions, this discussion resurfaced at a time when conversations around grief, emotional healing, layoffs, identity shifts, and resilience feel more relevant than ever. Speaker, storyteller, and author Diandra Ford-Wing shares the deeply personal journey that began after the unexpected death of her mother — a loss that led her to step away from her corporate career and enter what she describes as a “sacred pause.” In the stillness of grief, journaling became a lifeline and eventually transformed into her debut book, Red Bird. Through emotional honesty and storytelling, Diandra reflects on losing her aunt in The Gambia, witnessing how unresolved grief shaped generations of women in her family, and learning how emotional pain silently follows us into our relationships, careers, leadership, and everyday lives. The conversation explores grief in midlife, workplace grief, emotional wellness for women, burnout, generational trauma, and the courage required to rebuild your identity after unexpected loss. Since this conversation was recorded, Deandra has experienced another major transition after being impacted by recent tech layoffs. Today, she has launched Diandra Speaks, where she helps colleges, corporations, and nonprofit organizations understand how grief and emotional loss show up in the workplace and throughout life. In this episode we discuss: grief and bereavementemotional healing after lossmidlife identity shiftscareer transitions and layoffsburnout and emotional overwhelmworkplace grief and emotional resiliencehealing through journaling and storytelling If you are navigating any form of grief, this is a conversation of healing for you. WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Connect with Diandra Website: www.diandraspeaks.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/diandrafordwing IG: www.instagram.com/diandrafordwing Produced by Wowow Podcasts Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    43 min

  2. May 6

    46. From Performance to Presence | Journal Prompts & Affirmations for Emotional Healing

    Send us Fan Mail What if the version of you that everyone knows… is actually a role you were assigned in childhood? For years, you may have followed a script—being the strong one, the quiet one, the responsible one—letting that identity define how you show up in the world. But what happens when you start to question it? When you get curious about who you are beyond the role? In this episode, LaShonda Walker guides you through the powerful journey of unbecoming—releasing the identities, expectations, and survival patterns that no longer align with who you are today. You’ll learn how to begin rewriting your story by understanding the different parts of yourself, reconnecting with your truth, and trusting the adult version of you to lead with clarity and intention. This episode is for you if you’re ready to: Let go of performance-based identityStop living on autopilot and start choosing consciouslyRebuild trust with yourself and your decisionsStep into a more aligned, authentic version of who you areLaShonda shares practical guidance, reflection prompts, and powerful affirmations to support your journey of self-discovery, emotional healing, and personal growth—so you can feel grounded in the version of yourself you are becoming.  In this episode: How childhood roles shape your identity and behaviorReleasing the pressure to perform and pleaseLearning to trust yourself and your inner voiceCreating a personal power statement rooted in truth Affirmation to carry with you: I release who I had to be, and I trust who I am becoming. WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Produced by Wowow Podcasts Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    24 min

  3. Apr 22

    45. How Unconscious Beliefs Hold You Back and How to Shift Them

    Send us Fan Mail Life has a way of reminding you that there are still things stuck in you. In this episode LaShonda shares an unscripted reflection on how unconscious beliefs shape our decisions, relationships, and self-worth—especially in midlife. After noticing herself repeatedly rejecting a new opportunity and feeling a physical “block,” she unpacks how hidden beliefs formed in childhood can quietly run the show. In this emotional wellness episode, she guides listeners on how using the Adult Chair Model can help explain how younger versions of ourselves influence present-day reactions, triggers, comparison, and self-sabotage. She offers practical insight into recognizing these patterns and reclaiming control with intention and awareness. If you’ve ever felt stuck, questioned your worth, or struggled with self-doubt, this episode will help you identify and shift the unconscious stories holding you back. 💫 In this episode: • What unconscious beliefs are and how they impact your daily life • How childhood experiences shape adult behavior and emotional patterns • The Adult Chair Model explained for personal growth and healing • How to identify and challenge limiting beliefs and negative self-talk • Three simple steps to rewire unproductive beliefs and create emotional freedom This episode is for women in midlife seeking emotional healing, mindset shifts, and deeper self-awareness. WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Produced by Wowow Podcasts Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    27 min

  4. Apr 7

    44. Life Over 45: When Life Falls Apart & You Find Yourself Again with Christina Lopes

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would? In this honest conversation, LaShonda welcomes Christina Lopes of Life Over 45 (IG: @life_over_45) to explore midlife reinvention, healing after heartbreak, and finding yourself again after loss. If you’re navigating divorce, identity shifts, emotional pain, or starting over in your 40s or 50s, this episode will feel like a real conversation with someone who understands. Christina shares the moment she left a 16-year marriage—and how one vulnerable post sparked healing, connection, and community for women around the world. Together, they talk about rebuilding your life with self-love, intention, and authenticity. 💫 In this episode: Finding yourself again after loss or heartbreakLetting go of shame and embracing healingRomanticizing life while singleUsing music and nostalgia for emotional wellnessThe power of authentic connection and storytellingMidlife isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning. A chance to reconnect with who you are and how you want to live. If you’ve ever felt like you had to start over… this episode will meet you right where you are. If this episode resonated with you, follow, rate, and share A New Life Story with another woman navigating the powerful transformation of midlife. 💫 Listen to these episodes next: Episode 01 - The Adult Chair®: A Simple & Practical Tool for Your Emotional Healing JourneyEpisode 3 - How Understanding Your Inner Child Helps You Heal Emotional Wounds with Joan MwangiEpisode 14 - How to Align Your Intentions with Your True Self WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Produced by Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    1h 6m

  5. Mar 17

    43. How Love Evolves in Midlife: The 7 Types of Love & What Women Truly Need After 40

    Send us Fan Mail Love evolves, especially in midlife and the nervous system support you need at 25 is often very different from what you need at 45. Many women in their 40s and 50s begin reassessing relationships, emotional needs, and personal identity. Midlife is not a crisis—it’s a rebirth of emotional clarity, where we begin asking deeper questions about connection, authenticity, and the relationships that truly support our well-being. This episode explores the 7 types of love—Eros, Philia, Storge, Agape, Pragma, Ludus, and Philautia—and how each one transforms during midlife. You’ll learn how emotional safety, nervous system regulation, boundaries, and self-love shape healthier connections in romantic relationships, friendships, family dynamics, and within yourself. If you’ve been feeling a shift in what you want from love, partnership, and connection, this episode will help you understand why—and how to move forward with clarity and compassion. In this episode, we discuss: 01:11 How Midlife Love Shifts how women relate to love 06:13 Eros Passion Reimagined 07:50 Philia and evolving Friendships 10:58 Storge and Family Dynamics 14:14 Agape and Unconditional Grace 18:54 Ludus and Playful Joy If this episode resonated with you, follow, rate, and share A New Life Story with another woman navigating the powerful transformation of midlife. 💫 Listen to these episodes next: • Episode 42: Midlife Burnout & Emotional Labor: 5 Ways to Stop Carrying the Mental Load • Episode 35: Nervous System Regulation — Where Inner Connection Begins • Episode 29: Protecting Your Energy: 5 Tips for Navigating Emotional Triggers WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Produced by Wowow Podcasts Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    28 min

  6. Mar 3

    42. Midlife Burnout & Emotional Labor: 5 Ways to Stop Carrying the Mental Load

    Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the impact of emotional labor, the mental load, and burnout for women in midlife. Many women silently carry the responsibility of managing other people’s emotions, needs, schedules, and relationships—often without realizing how much emotional energy and mental bandwidth it requires. LaShonda shares personal insight into how emotional labor and the invisible mental load showed up in her friendships, marriage, parenting, and career, and how constantly anticipating needs and managing emotions can lead to exhaustion, resentment, anger, and feeling unseen. For many women, emotional labor includes monitoring moods, keeping track of family responsibilities, remembering important dates and obligations, mediating conflict, soothing hurt feelings, and trying to keep the peace in relationships. Over time, this invisible responsibility can create emotional burnout, overwhelm, and a deep sense of imbalance in relationships. Learn five practical ways to stop carrying the mental load and begin reclaiming your emotional capacity, boundaries, and personal well-being. In this episode you’ll learn: • What emotional labor and the mental load look like in everyday life • Why women in midlife often carry the emotional responsibility for everyone else • The link between emotional labor, burnout, and resentment • 5 ways to stop carrying the emotional load in relationships and family life • Two powerful questions that can help you reconnect with your emotional bandwidth and energy If you’re a woman who feels like you’re holding everything together for everyone else, this episode will help you understand the mental load many women carry—and how to begin releasing it. 01:29 What Is Emotional Labor 05:01 Resentment And Burnout 05:45 Notice Overfunctioning 09:43 Let Emotions Be Theirs 12:45 Dropping Perfectionism 16:02 Micro Boundaries WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Produced by Wowow Podcasts Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    29 min

  7. Feb 17

    41. 7 Types of Rest for Women in Midlife (Part 2): Physical, Mental, Spiritual & Sensory Rest

    Send us Fan Mail Rest is not a luxury — it is essential for emotional wellness, nervous system regulation, and whole-body health, especially for women navigating the demands of midlife, burnout, and constant mental load. In a world that constantly demands attention and productivity, intentional rest can help restore energy, emotional balance, and mental clarity. When we neglect rest, our bodies and minds carry the cost through fatigue, overwhelm, stress, and nervous system dysregulation. Learning how to intentionally rest allows the body to recover, the mind to quiet, and the spirit to reconnect. In this episode, learn about: • Physical rest – allowing the body to recover and restore energy • Mental rest – calming racing thoughts and reducing cognitive overload • Spiritual rest – reconnecting with meaning, purpose, and inner grounding • Sensory rest – reducing stimulation from screens, noise, and constant input Learn simple, actionable ways to integrate restorative practices into daily life while navigating emotional transitions, physical changes, and increasing mental demands. If you’ve been feeling tired, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained, this episode will help you understand how intentional rest can support healing, clarity, and emotional well-being. 01:09 Introduction to the Four Additional Types of Rest 02:54 Physical Rest: Listening to Your Body 10:20 Mental Rest: Easing the Overthinking Mind 15:56 Spiritual Rest: Connecting Beyond Productivity 20:58 Sensory Rest: Giving Your Nervous System a Break 24:52 Conclusion and Looking Ahead LISTEN TO THESE EPISODES NEXT : Episode 16 - How to Connect to Your Emotions to Understand Your NeedsEpisode 18 - How Breathwork Can Rewire Your Brain for Better HealthEpisode 24 - Creating Space for Emotions WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7h Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    29 min

  8. Feb 3

    40.  7 Types of Rest for Women in Midlife (Part 1): Why Rest Matters

    Send us Fan Mail This episode begins a two-part series exploring the 7 Types of Rest, a framework developed by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith that explains why traditional rest alone doesn’t resolve burnout, emotional exhaustion, or mental fatigue. Many women—especially in midlife—are constantly giving their time, energy, and emotional labor to family, work, and relationships. Over time, this can lead to nervous system overload, mental exhaustion, and deep depletion, even when you think you’re resting. LaShonda shares why intentional rest became non-negotiable for her and how ignoring certain types of rest can quietly drain emotional health, creativity, and overall balance. In Part 1, we explore three powerful forms of rest essential for emotional wellness and restoring energy: Emotional Rest – Learn how constantly holding it together, people-pleasing, suppressing feelings, or managing others’ emotions can lead to burnout. Social Rest – Not all relationships restore your energy. Discover the difference between draining and nourishing connections and how to choose social environments that support your well-being. Creative Rest – Creative rest isn’t just for artists. Constantly consuming information and solving problems can drain creativity. Discover how beauty, curiosity, and inspiration can refill your creative energy. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or stuck in midlife, this conversation will help you understand how different types of rest can restore your energy and support emotional balance. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we explore the remaining types of rest and how they support nervous system regulation and long-term well-being. Enjoyed the show? Please leave a review on Apple or a rating on Spotify (click 3 dots > “Rate Show”) LISTEN TO THESE EPISODES NEXT : Episode 16 - How to Connect to Your Emotions to Understand Your NeedsEpisode 24 - Creating Space for Emotions WORK WITH LASHONDA Explore your emotions and uncover what drives your behavior?  Book a free discovery call today. In 20 minutes you’ll learn and practice simple steps you can take to begin your transformation process. Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/ Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoach Buy Me A Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bfuvfvi7hc Produced by Support the show Connect with LaShonda Email: lashonda@anewlifestorycoaching.com Join newsletter: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.com/newsletter Website | Facebook | Instagram

    29 min
See All (48)

4.9
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

A New Life Story is an emotional wellness podcast for women in midlife who are ready to heal, grow, and create meaningful change. Hosted by Certified Life Coach LaShonda Walker, this bi-weekly podcast offers practical tools to help you navigate emotions, set healthy boundaries, and build stronger relationships. If you’re experiencing midlife transitions, emotional burnout, or feeling disconnected from yourself, this podcast will help you reconnect with your needs and reclaim your voice. Each episode explores emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and how to release limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. Learn how to process emotions, improve communication, and develop the confidence to live with clarity and intention. Through self-discovery and actionable strategies, you’ll gain the tools to create a more balanced, fulfilling life. If you're ready to stop surviving and start living with emotional clarity, this podcast will guide your journey. It’s time to rewrite your story and create A New Life Story.Visit the website: https://www.anewlifestorycoaching.comFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anewlifestorycoachJoin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewlifestorycoaching

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