Unmute with Priya: Finding Your Voice at Midlife

What happens when you're the person everyone can count on, but you've forgotten how to show up for yourself?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Ashmi Patel, life coach, writer, and facilitator, to talk about people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the pressure to always get life right.Ashmi opens up about growing up Indian American, hiding parts of her identity to fit in, and how an ADHD diagnosis in her thirties helped her finally understand herself.We explore why setting boundaries feels so uncomfortable, how constantly trying to improve ourselves can leave us exhausted, and why accepting who we are might be the change we've been looking for.In this episode:Breaking free from good-girl conditioning and people-pleasingHow a late ADHD diagnosis can change your understanding of yourselfSetting boundaries without guilt or fear of disappointing othersWhy trying harder isn't always the answer to burnoutChoosing radical self-acceptance over constantly fixing yourselfYou don't have to earn your worth by being everything to everyone. And you don't need to become someone else to finally feel enough.Connect with Ashmi PatelWebsite: https://ashmipatel.comInstagram & LinkedIn: Search Ashmi PatelFree Resource: Do the Damn Thing — A simple daily tracker to help you feel accomplished without overwhelming yourself. Find it through her website.

What if everything you've been told about retirement is wrong?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Anne van Leynseele, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and cacao farmer, who is challenging the traditional idea of retirement and encouraging people to rethink what life after 50, 60, and beyond can look like.Anne has never followed a conventional path. From leaving school and heading to Hollywood with just $300 to building a career in digital media, working under the Obama administration, and eventually buying a six-acre farm in Hawaii without any farming experience, she's spent her life proving that we don't have to stick to one identity or one version of success.After witnessing how retirement left many people feeling isolated, disconnected, and without purpose, Anne began questioning why we're expected to spend decades working only to stop doing the things that give our lives meaning.That led her to create Preferment™, a different approach to retirement focused on staying physically active, intellectually curious, socially connected, and excited about what's next.We also talk about the expectations women carry, the guilt of choosing ourselves, and why getting older doesn't mean giving up on the dreams we've put aside.In this episode, we talk about:Why traditional retirement can leave people feeling lost, isolated, and without purposeReinventing yourself after 50 or 60 without starting your life overThe three essentials Anne believes support a fulfilling life: doing, thinking, and feelingLetting go of guilt, embracing healthy selfishness, and rediscovering your passionsHow Preferment™ helps you create a meaningful next chapter on your own termsAs Anne reminds us: "Everybody is going to age, but you can choose not to get old."You don't have to wait until retirement to start living. And you certainly don't have to stop dreaming just because you've reached a certain age.Connect with Anne van LeynseeleWebsite: https://rarefiedlife.comBook: Preferment™ — Available on Amazon and other online booksellersBook: Savor Your Chocolate — Available on Amazon

How do you find your way back to yourself after unimaginable loss?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I reconnect with Tina Heuermann, motivational speaker, wellness coach, detox specialist, and founder of iRose Healing, for an honest conversation about grief, sobriety, and taking ownership of your health.After losing her mother and then her son just three years later, Tina turned to alcohol to cope with the pain. What began as a way to get through each day became a habit she knew she needed to break, even when the people closest to her didn't recognize how much she was struggling.Now more than three years sober, Tina shares how she changed her relationship with alcohol, stopped defining herself by her past, and found a new purpose in helping women navigate their own healing journeys.We also explore the challenges women face between 40 and 65, from exhaustion and hormonal changes to weight gain and feeling disconnected from their bodies. Tina shares her perspective on holistic wellness, liver health, detox practices, and why she encourages women to make gradual, sustainable changes rather than chase quick fixes.In this episode, we talk about:Finding your way through grief, loss, and alcohol dependencyBreaking free from labels that no longer define who you areReclaiming your health and energy during midlifeTina's approach to liver health, detoxing, and holistic wellnessWhy healing begins with taking ownership of your choices and believing change is possibleTina describes her approach to sharing her journey in three words: "I heal out loud."Her story is a reminder that even when life takes you somewhere you never imagined, you can still find your way forward.Connect with Tina HeuermannWebsite and detox programs: https://yourlivercleanse.comFacebook, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @iRoseHealing

What if your life looks perfectly fine on the outside, but something inside you is telling you it no longer fits?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Melissa Maher, self-integration coach and mindfulness meditation teacher, to explore why midlife can feel so disorienting, especially for women who've spent decades doing everything they thought they were supposed to do.Melissa shares how a trip to Costa Rica in her twenties changed the way she saw her life and began her journey toward mindfulness, self-trust, and living on her own terms.We talk about the emotional upheaval of perimenopause, the pressure to keep pushing through exhaustion, and how even the self-help world can leave us feeling like we're another project that needs fixing.In this episode, we talk about:Why midlife can feel like a crisis even when nothing is technically wrongBreaking free from good-girl conditioning, people-pleasing, and perfectionismHow perimenopause can challenge your identity, energy, and sense of selfWhy constant self-improvement can become another form of self-criticismUsing mindfulness, self-compassion, and small daily practices to reconnect with yourselfYou don't have to figure everything out or become a completely different person. Sometimes the most meaningful change begins when you stop trying to fix yourself and start listening to yourself.Work with Melissa: Learn about her six-month Flourish one-on-one coaching program and upcoming group offerings through her website.Website: https://melissamericoaching.com

Why do you react the way you do and what's really underneath that reaction?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Vrindavan Rao, founder of Illuminate NYC, leadership coach, meditation teacher, and longtime student of the Enneagram.Vrin explains why the Enneagram isn't simply another personality test. Instead of focusing on behavior, it looks at the deeper motivations, needs, and fears influencing how we experience the world.We talk about the ego, emotional triggers, spirituality, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves when we feel hurt, disrespected, or misunderstood. Vrin also shares why self-awareness isn't always comfortable—and why creating even a small pause between a trigger and our reaction can change how we show up.In this episode, we discuss:• What the Enneagram can reveal about your motivations• The unmet needs underneath emotional reactions• Why the ego isn't something we simply need to get rid of• Creating space between a trigger and your response• Who you are beneath your roles, patterns, and accomplishmentsIf you've ever wondered, Why did I react like that?, this conversation offers a different way to understand what's happening underneath the surface.Connect with Vrin RaoWebsite: https://www.illuminate.nyc/Instagram: @illuminate.nyc

Why do we keep repeating the same patterns—even when we know they aren't working?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Brenda Westwood, founder of Horse Sense Healing and a master equine gestaltist who partners with horses to help people uncover old stories, limiting beliefs, and unfinished pieces of their past.Brenda shares how patterns like people pleasing, rescuing, fixing, and choosing unhealthy relationships can continue even when we understand them intellectually and why she believes deeper change involves the body.In this episode, we talk about:• Why we repeat patterns we thought we'd already healed• The old stories we continue carrying in our bodies• What horses can reveal when words aren't enough• People pleasing, rescuing, and unhealthy relationship patterns• Generational patterns and perfectionism• Giving a voice to the parts of ourselves that couldn't speak• Moving from reacting to the past to living in the presentAs Brenda reminds us: You are not your story.Your past may be part of you, but it doesn't have to keep running your life.Connect with Brenda WestwoodWebsite: HorseSenseHealing.comEmail: [email protected]

What happens when you're told everything looks normal, but you know something doesn't feel right?In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I sit down with Dr. Julie Tran-Olive, naturopathic doctor, licensed acupuncturist, and founder of Silicon Valley Natural Health, for a candid conversation about body image, cultural expectations, and learning to advocate for your own health.Growing up in a Vietnamese family, Julie faced criticism about her weight and pressure to fit a certain mold. Rather than allowing those expectations to define her, she chose to create her own path and today, she brings that same independent spirit to the way she practices medicine.We talk about why health is so much more than a number on a scale, what it means to look at the whole person instead of just their symptoms, and why women need to feel comfortable speaking openly about their bodies.In this episode, we discuss:Breaking free from cultural expectations and body image criticismWhy feeling healthy matters more than looking a certain wayWhat to do when your lab results are normal but you still feel offThe importance of finding a healthcare practitioner who listensWeight stigma and the conversations surrounding GLP-1 medicationsChanging the shame and silence around menstruation and women's healthLearning to trust your body and become your own health advocateJulie reminds us that advocating for ourselves isn't just about speaking up in relationships or careers. It's also about asking questions, trusting what we're experiencing, and taking an active role in our own well-being.  Your body deserves to be heard. And so do you.Connect with Dr. Julie Tran-OliveWebsite: https://svnaturalhealth.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/svnaturalhealth/

What happens when you grow up feeling like you don’t quite fit in? In this Unmute with Priya Live, I’m joined by Dr. PJ Sedillo, professor and chair of Special/Gifted Education at New Mexico Highlands University, whose work explores giftedness, LGBTQ+ identity, risk, resilience, belonging, and mental health. PJ also spent more than two decades in leadership with Albuquerque Pride and has been a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ communities. We’ll talk about what it means to be different in environments that often reward fitting in, why belonging matters so deeply, the particular challenges faced by gifted and LGBTQ+ young people, and how the things that once made us feel like outsiders can become an important part of who we are. This is a conversation about identity, acceptance, resilience, and ultimately, learning to embrace being different.

What if your birth chart isn’t here to tell you who you are, but to help you understand yourself more deeply? Join me LIVE on Unmute with Priya with  @bigeastrology  and Allana Taylor- a real conversation about astrology, birth charts, timing, purpose, relationships, free will, and the patterns that may be written in the stars. We’re getting into what your chart can reveal about the way you move through the world, why certain seasons of life can feel so intense, and how astrology can be used as a tool for self awareness without giving away your power or letting someone else tell you how to live your life. Bring your questions and join us live because this is going to be a conversation, not a lecture. Can your birth chart help you understand the life you’re here to live? Let’s find out together.Grab Stars, Signs, and Rhyme Lines Workbook and Card deck here: https://bigeastrology.com/Connect with Eric: [email protected]

By 40, Jeff Rasley had achieved what many people spend their lives chasing: a successful career, financial freedom, a loving marriage, and a family.  So why did he keep asking himself, “Is this all there is?”  The answer eventually took him halfway around the world.In this episode of Unmute with Priya, I talk with Jeff Rasley, author, adventurer, and founder of the Basa Village Foundation, about the unexpected journey that began when his wife encouraged him to trek to Everest Base Camp.What started as a way to reconnect with his adventurous spirit became something much bigger. His experiences in the Himalayas challenged his understanding of happiness, spirituality, success, and what it means to live a meaningful life.We talk about:Why having everything doesn't always mean feeling fulfilledThe pressure men face to appear strong and hide their strugglesHow one trip to Nepal changed Jeff's direction in lifeFinding purpose through service without creating dependencyRecognizing when the path you're on has become a rutJeff's story is a reminder that you don't have to abandon everything you've built to discover something more meaningful.  Sometimes, you just need to find a different path.Connect with Jeff RasleyPersonal website, books, and adventures: https://www.jeffreyrasley.comBasa Village Foundation: https://www.basa.orgBook: You Have to Get Lost Before You Can Be Found