Growing Up Late

Jeannie McIntire
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Growing Up Late explores the gap between the impressive lives we build on the outside and who we actually are on the inside. Through honest conversations about betrayal, comebacks, and personal transformation, host Jeannie McIntire shows how the real growth happens when we finally own our role in our own story. A podcast for anyone ready to stop playing small and start living authentically.

  1. 5d ago

    You Are the Value: Finding Yourself in the Empty Nest

    Empty nest identity and the dream sheet, with Kelly Salmons “You are the value.” Kelly Salmons says it plainly: when the kids leave and the daily needing slows, it can feel like your worth left too. It didn’t. Kelly, founder of The Nest Evolution, explains how she found that out the hard way, starting with ten minutes, a blank page, and one dream: a trip to Antarctica. Kelly had a plan. She moved to Florida, bought the house next to her sister and parents, and went back to teaching, expecting it to fill the space her daughters left. Something still wasn’t right. When a personal development exercise asked what she wanted, she wrote one thing, a trip to Antarctica, and nothing else. It took her two or three tries before the list began to fill. Then she had to remember who she was. In seventh grade, Kelly decided she was going to the Naval Academy and planned her way in. Years later, she couldn’t think of a time she’d felt powerful, until a classmate told her the whole class had been scared of her. And “become who you are” had been engraved on a swim trophy she’d owned for 40 years. Try this before you press play: Set a timer for ten minutes and write down what you want, not what your family needs. Key ideas Your worth isn’t tied to being neededYou’re not starting from scratch: skills from motherhood and past careers carry forwardA dream sheet is a running list of what you want, even if it’s smallWell-meaning support can feel like pressure, and stillness helps you hear yourselfPool time: a daily 20 to 30 minute phone-free reset for couplesFew decisions are life or death, so decide, revise, and keep moving Questions this episode answers Why do I feel lost after the kids leave, even with a good life? “You are the value,” Kelly says. Many mothers tie their worth to being needed, so when the needing slows, it can feel like the worth left too.Where do I start? Write a dream sheet, then find regular time to be still.How do I find myself again? Try small experiments Kelly calls a joyfulness quest: a new coffee shop, an old hobby, a class, a call to a friend you’ve lost touch with.How can couples reconnect? Protect a short, regular, phone-free time together. Kelly and her husband call theirs pool time. Timestamps 0:00 Welcome, Kelly Salmons 0:45 When the empty nest felt bigger than a quiet house 2:00 The dream sheet: “I wrote Antarctica and nothing else” 8:45 The Naval Academy story and “we were scared of you” 14:30 “Become who you are” 19:30 Pool time: staying connected in marriage 26:00 Where to start: the dream sheet and stillness 32:30 From a $17 class to ten new friends 36:30 What Kelly has learned: decide, revise, design with intention About the guest Kelly Salmons is the founder of The Nest Evolution, a number one best-selling author, and a coach who helps women through the empty nest transition. A former naval officer and educator, she is also a real estate investor and will return for a full episode on that journey. Find her at The Nest Evolution link: https://thenestevolution.com/ About Growing Up Late Growing Up Late is a podcast about reinvention, resilience, and becoming the author of what comes next. Your host, Jeannie McIntire, is a former Sam’s Club executive who led a $2+ billion business and is now an entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host. Connect with Jeannie here: https://linktr.ee/jeanniemcintire

  2. Oct 8

    Being Chosen Is Overrated: Flattery, Boundaries, and Choosing Yourself First

    Being picked feels like proof you’re worth something. It isn’t. A story about flattery, people-pleasing, and what happens when you say no to an offer you were supposed to be grateful for. For most of my life, if someone told me I was the right person for something and said it warmly, I said yes. In this episode of Growing Up Late, I take apart the idea that being chosen is the same as being valued. I start with a too-fitted outfit and a salesgirl who said I looked amazing, move through a promotion I turned down three times before the division president made it personal, and into a marriage where I gave up what I wanted because it was dressed up as something I’d said I wanted. Then I'll tell you what happened when I recently said no to a board seat, and what the reaction taught me. The idea in one paragraph: Being chosen can work like borrowed value. Someone else’s enthusiasm fills a gap I should have been filling myself. It feels like currency, but it’s really their yes standing in for my own. Being chosen isn’t the problem. The expectation that you owe gratitude for it, whether or not the offer serves you, is the thing to outgrow. Key takeaways: Flattery can feel like proof of worth, but it’s someone else’s enthusiasm, not your own self-regard.The most persuasive offers are personal and specific, and they’re often dressed up as prestige and purpose, which makes them harder to spot.Going along isn’t the same as choosing. You can spend years watching your life instead of making the hard decisions yourself.Saying “no, thank you” without apology is a skill, and it can take years to build. Notice: Who gets warm when you say yes and who goes cold when you say no, and when something good happens to you, who isn’t clapping? You don’t have to do anything about it. Just notice. Quotable lines: “Being picked felt like proof I was worth something, so I skipped the other question: Do I actually want this?”“It felt like obligation dressed up as something I had said I wanted.”“A no does not need a follow-up.”“The prize is choosing yourself first.” Listen if you’ve ever wondered why you say yes to things you don’t want, or why declining a flattering offer can feel like breaking a rule.

  3. Oct 1

    Burnout Recovery & People-Pleasing with Morrighan Lynne

    Burnout recovery, people-pleasing, and the mother wound: Morrighan Lynne, trauma-informed coach and author of The Spirited Human, shares how burnout came in to save her life and what she learned about self-abandonment along the way. In this episode of Growing Up Late, host Jeannie McIntire talks with Morrighan Lynne about the moment everything collapsed at the end of 2022, the mother wound underneath her people-pleasing, and the grief of losing her identity when she had nothing left to give. Morgan also explains why she calls self-abandonment a million micro-betrayals, why women are trained to see caring for themselves as selfish, and how she keeps her spirituality grounded in real life. If you're functioning, showing up, and quietly running on fumes, this conversation is for you. In this episode: - The 2022 collapse: doing everything right and still falling apart - Reformed people-pleaser: "Please like me. Please want me." - The mother wound and where people-pleasing really starts - The grief nobody talks about: losing your identity to burnout - Checking your battery and learning to disappoint people - A million micro betrayals: how self-abandonment builds over years - Selfish vs. sovereign: centuries-old programming - Burnout as an intervention: "This stepped in to save you." - Spirituality with your feet on the ground - Trauma-informed coaching and why small-t trauma counts - Closing message: life is hard, there are ways through it, and you're not alone Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 The collapse at the end of 2022 2:30 Reformed people-pleaser 5:15 The mother wound 6:40 The grief of losing your identity 7:50 Checking your battery and disappointing people 11:00 A million micro betrayals 13:15 Selfish, sovereign, and centuries-old programming 14:50 Permission for the woman running on fumes 16:20 Burnout as an intervention 18:45 Spirituality with your feet on the ground 22:20 Coaching: removing what's in the way 25:15 Trauma-informed work and small-t trauma 27:30 The Spirited Human 30:20 Closing thoughts: possibility About Morrighan Lynne: Morrighan Lynne is a trauma-informed coach, intuitive guide, author, speaker, and spiritual mentor with nearly two decades of experience helping women move from burnout and overwhelm to clarity, confidence, and self-trust. She is the author of The Spirited Human: Proactive Tools for a Reactive World and the creator of the Sovereign Path Oracle Deck. Her work focuses on emotional resilience, nervous system regulation, and reclaiming your voice after trauma. Website Books Sovereign Path Oracle Deck A Gift from Morrighan About Growing Up Late: Growing Up Late is a podcast about reinvention, resilience, and becoming the author of what comes next. Your host, Jeannie McIntire, is a former Fortune 500 executive who led a $2+ billion business and is now an entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host. Connect / Follow Jeannie Content note: This episode discusses burnout, people-pleasing, identity loss, and dark moments, including thoughts of not wanting to exist. If you are struggling, in the U.S. you can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) at any time. This conversation is for education and inspiration and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

  4. Sep 24

    I Wasn't Out of Time, I Was Out of Order: The Fallacy of Rushing

    I fell down an entire flight of stairs rushing to impress my mentor. Cut up, adrenaline through the roof, and I still walked in late and unable to focus. That's the day I learned speed doesn't equal care, competence, or forward motion. I wasn't out of time. I was out of order. This episode is about the fallacy that rushing gets things done faster, and what actually works instead: the 168-hour audit I run on my own calendar every week, an old Gaelic proverb about mentorship and doing your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was, everyone's got to do their own growing, and why hiring experts only helps once you already know where you're going. Busy is not neutral. It depletes you and gets you no closer to what matters. This one ends on the question I keep coming back to: are you moving toward something that matters, or are you just moving? The 168-hour audit worksheet mentioned in this episode is available in the show notes and on the newsletter. Timestamps: 0:00 Falling down the stairs on the way to my mentor 2:00 The fallacy of rushing 5:00 Busy is not neutral 6:00 The 168-hour audit 9:00 No matter how tall your grandfather was 10:00 Time takes care of everyone 12:00 Parkinson's Law: alignment vs. panic 13:00 What rushing costs 16:00 Why I started this podcast 18:00 Hiring experts, or getting lost faster 20:00 Are you moving toward something that matters, or just moving? 168 Hour Reality Check

  5. Sep 17

    Reclaiming Your Choices: Self-Worth, Trust & Love with Jennifer Benson

    What happens when the story you tell about yourself changes, and the world starts responding differently? In this episode of Growing Up Late, transformational life coach and author Jennifer Benson (host of The Impossible Shift) shares how she moved from self-silencing and survival mode to a more open, grounded way of seeing herself, relationships, and love. Jennifer talks candidly about the period in her life when shame took over her self-image, and the small, deliberate choice, as simple as choosing to smile, that started to shift how people treated her. We also dig into how childhood trauma shaped her early beliefs about trust and men, how that showed up in her relationships, and what changed when she met her husband. The heart of this conversation is Jennifer's framework for change: that lasting transformation starts with reclaiming your agency through small, consistent choices, and that many of us, especially women, are conditioned to give our choices away without realizing we still carry the consequences. In this episode: How changing how you show up can change how the world treats youThe link between invisibility, childhood conditioning, and self-protectionHow early trauma shapes trust, safety, and relationship patternsJennifer's "Impossible Shift" framework: why small choices compound into big changeThe difference between intuition and an old wound talkingWhy "you choose" is often us giving our power away, and how to take it backOne simple daily practice to start rebuilding self-trust and confidence About the guest: Jennifer Benson is a transformational life coach, author, and storyteller, and the host of The Impossible Shift podcast. Her work focuses on helping people examine the beliefs and stories that shape their self-image, and what becomes possible when those stories change. Connect with Jennifer: Jennifer's Website Connect with Growing Up Late: Jeannie's Website. Subscribe to Jeannie's YouTube Channel

  6. Sep 10

    Why Aren't You Living Your Dream Life Yet? A Birthday, a DNA Test, and What I Found

    Almost exactly a year ago, a DNA test I almost didn't take turned up a brother I never knew I had. On the eve of my birthday, I'm telling the story and the harder truth I found on the other side of it. This is a birthday episode, but it's not really about turning a year older. It's about what happened when a chance DNA test (thank you, ex-boyfriend convinced I was a Viking princess) turned into an email from a full biological brother, then a sister, then an entire family I'd spent my life wondering about. I went to Massachusetts and Maine to meet them. I'm sharing what I found, the reunion, the small uncanny things we had in common, a glass bottle that undid me, and the one sentence my brother said that changed how I think about my whole life. This isn't an adoption exposé. It's about the fantasy of the "what if" life, and what happens when you finally get close enough to it to find out you were never missing from the one you actually have. In this episode: Taking a DNA test years after wondering, and why I waited until my adoptive mother had passedThe awkward, honest emails that finally got a response from my biological brotherMeeting my biological family in Massachusetts, and the moment that could have become a story about rejection, but didn'tA small glass bottle that made my biological mother real to me for the first timeMeeting my other brother in Maine, and the one sentence that broke a lifelong "what if"What actually changed and what didn't after meeting the family I spent my life wondering aboutWhy I put off recording this episode, and what finally got me to do it anyway If you've got something in your life you keep waiting to feel ready for — this one's for you. #GrowingUpLate #DreamLifePodcast #IntentionalLiving #PersonalGrowth #midlifereinvention #happybirthday

  7. Sep 3

    It's Never Too Late to Heal: Denise Willis on Boundaries, Self-Worth & Starting Over

    Denise Willis was married six times before she learned how to set a boundary. In this episode of Growing Up Late, the life coach, author, and breast cancer survivor joins host Jeannie McIntire to unpack how growing up with conditional love shaped decades of people-pleasing, how she healed after surviving narcissistic and physically abusive relationships, and why she believes it's never too late to rebuild your self-worth. She remarried at 60 and launched her coaching business at 72. About Denise WillisDenise Willis is a life coach, author, and the founder of Life By Design, where she helps women rebuild confidence, self-worth, and emotional freedom after painful relationships and major adversity. She's the author of The Book On Loving Yourself, a breast cancer survivor, and a passionate advocate for boundaries, self-care, and gratitude practice as tools for lasting transformation. In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why people-pleasing often starts as a childhood survival strategy — and how it quietly shapes who we let into our livesThe difference between having no boundaries and having healthy ones ("boundaries don't keep people out — they're a safety net, not a wall")Why self-care isn't selfish, explained through Denise's "bank account" analogyHow a simple gratitude journal practice (just 3 lines a day) can shift your mindset during hard seasonsWhy Denise believes it's never too late to start over. She remarried at 60 and launched her coaching practice at 72How working with a coach can compress years of healing into weeks Timestamps00:00 — Welcome to Growing Up Late with guest Denise Willis01:20 — How people-pleasing was "installed" in childhood02:00 — Surviving physically abusive relationships04:00 — The coach who changed Denise's life07:00 — "When you fill your own cup, you can serve from the overflow"08:00 — Identifying and releasing limiting beliefs09:40 — Learning values and boundaries for the first time11:00 — "No is a complete sentence"12:30 — The self-worth quiz and why women underestimate their own boundary gaps13:40 — Self-care isn't selfish — the "bank account" analogy14:30 — What "growing up late" means to Denise15:20 — A simple gratitude journal practice17:00 — Married six times, then finding her soulmate at 6018:00 — Message to the woman who feels broken and thinks she's waited too long19:30 — Denise's special offer for listeners20:40 — Inside The Book On Loving Yourself23:00 — Free resources on Denise's website Memorable Quotes"Boundaries do not keep people out, they protect you. It's a safety net, not a big wall going up." — Denise Willis"When you fill your own cup, you can serve from the overflow." — Denise Willis"No is a complete sentence. You do not have to explain." — Denise Willis"It's never too late to start over. It's never too late to start your journey on healing." — Denise WillisSpecial OfferDenise is offering free coaching to the first three listeners who take her self-worth quiz using the link from this podcast. Take the quiz at her website (link below) to see where your own boundaries might need work. Resources & LinksDenise Willis's website & self-worth quizThe Book On Loving Yourself by Denise WillisMore episodes of Growing Up LateFollow the show Frequently Asked QuestionsWho is Denise Willis? Denise Willis is a life coach, author of The Book On Loving Yourself, founder of Life By Design, and a breast cancer survivor who helps women rebuild self-worth and set healthy boundaries after painful relationships. What does Denise Willis say about boundaries? She teaches that boundaries aren't about controlling others or keeping people out — they're a safety net that protects your time, energy, and emotional space, and that "no is a complete sentence." How old was Denise Willis when she started her coaching business? Denise Willis started her coaching business at age 72, after remarrying at age 60, illustrating her message that it's never too late to pursue a new calling. What is Denise Willis's self-worth quiz? It's a free quiz on Denise Willis's website that helps women identify gaps in their boundaries and self-worth; the first three listeners of this episode to take it receive free coaching from Denise.

  8. Aug 27

    Take Me Off the Mortgage! The Audacity of One More Ask

    My marriage was over. My finances were devastated. My ex was building a new life with someone else. Then he left me a voicemail: "Can you take me off the mortgage?" The nerve of it was one thing. What surprised me more was my own reaction. I immediately started thinking about how I could fix it. That was what I did. At work, I was actually nicknamed "The Ambulance" because I was sent into failing divisions and categories to revive them financially and put them back in order. I solved problems. I found answers. I knew a guy who knew a guy. I could fix anything. Or at least I thought I could. Maybe that was also part of why it took me so long to stop trying to fix my marriage. In this episode of Growing Up Late, I go back to the mortgage call that finally forced me to look at the role I had been playing for years: someone creates the mess, and I clean it up. I also talk about something a woman helping me through my divorce said that changed the way I looked at leaving: some people get divorced on paper and stay married for the rest of their lives. They keep arguing, negotiating, rescuing, fixing, and communicating long after the legal relationship is over. That left me with a much harder question: Was I going to be legally divorced, or actually divorced? In this episode: Why being "The Ambulance" worked brilliantly in business and not so well in marriageThe difference between recklessness and behavior that begins to look calculatedWhy my first instinct was still to solve his mortgage problemThe bottomless pit, and why I finally started shoveling dirt into the graveThe moment I stopped being responsible for fixing one more thingWhy I'm no longer attached to other people's outcomesHow that experience changed the way I support people in crisis todayThe story of the monks, the water and the river, and why it stayed with me I didn't stop helping people. I stopped believing I had to solve their problems. Today I can share what worked for me, offer tools, ask good questions and point out possibilities. But I don't need to have the answer to someone else's life. Sometimes we have to come up against an unfixable problem to stop believing we can fix everything. And sometimes a relationship doesn't really end when the papers are signed. It ends when you stop doing your old job in it. What problem are you still trying to solve that was never yours to solve? Growing Up Late with Jeannie McIntire explores what happens when life forces you to reconsider who you are, how you got here, and what comes next.

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About

Growing Up Late explores the gap between the impressive lives we build on the outside and who we actually are on the inside. Through honest conversations about betrayal, comebacks, and personal transformation, host Jeannie McIntire shows how the real growth happens when we finally own our role in our own story. A podcast for anyone ready to stop playing small and start living authentically.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeannie McIntire
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jeannie McIntire
  • Show Website
    Growing Up Late