341. 5 Habits I Quit in Midlife (That Made Me Feel Better Than I Did at 35)

want to ask you a different kind of question. What if the reason your life feels full but not spacious isn’t because you’re doing too much… but because there’s something inside you that hasn’t had room to breathe? Today we’re talking about what it really means to be a high-capacity woman—not in the hustle, grind, “do more” way, but in the deeply rooted, present, alive way. We’ll walk through:  Why your problem isn’t “too much to do” …and why your real limit might be emotional and spiritual capacity, not time.  What high capacity actually looks like on the inside Becoming a clean, clear channel—mentally, emotionally, spiritually—so you can hold the life you’re dreaming of.  How dreaming bigger makes you love your life now How your desires don’t pull you away from your life, they deepen your presence in it.  The quiet clutter stealing your capacity Old stories, limiting beliefs, unprocessed emotions, self-judgment—and how to gently start clearing space.  Simple journaling prompts to expand your inner capacity Questions you can ask yourself this week to listen to your life and make room for what’s next.  Why loving your life now is the legacy you leave How your presence, warmth, and emotional steadiness shape how people feel when they’re with you. This isn’t about cramming more into your schedule. It’s about becoming the woman who can hold the life she’s praying for. Use these in a quiet moment with your journal: What am I carrying emotionally right now that I haven’t fully felt or expressed? What belief about myself or my life feels heavy or limiting right now? What part of my life feels crowded or noisy—and what might it be asking for instead? If my inner world were clear and spacious, what desire might finally have room to speak? If this episode stirs something in you—if you’re longing for more joy, more desire, more aliveness in the year ahead—I would love to invite you to my favorite event of the year: ✨ Made for More – 3-Day Live Virtual Workshop January 7–9 Inside Made for More, I’ll walk you through: How to wake back up to your desires How to create a life that feels inspiring instead of overwhelming How to design your year to support the high-capacity woman you’re becoming And if you join by December 18th, you’ll also get my Dream Year Workshop free, where we’ll plan your entire year together with intention. 👉 Register here: ediewadsworthcoaching.com/more  You were not made to live muted. Your life was meant to be radiant, expressive, alive—and full of deep, steady joy. I’m so glad you’re here. 💛 Journaling Prompts from the EpisodeJoin Us for Made for More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, Emme and I cozy up (apron, brown sweater, holiday chaos and all 😅) to talk about something so many women quietly struggle with—confidence. Especially in midlife, it can feel like your self-assurance has just… slipped away. Your body is changing, your roles are shifting, and suddenly you’re questioning things you never used to. But what if confidence isn’t something you earn by looking a certain way, achieving a certain goal, or finally “getting it together”? What if confidence is actually your natural state—and the real work is learning how to strip away everything that blocks it? We unpack a different way to see confidence: not as your ability to do anything, but as your willingness to feel anything. Embarrassment, disappointment, shame, vulnerability—your capacity to sit with those emotions, instead of avoiding or overthinking them, is what creates real confidence. We talk about people-pleasing, perfectionism, overthinking, shrinking back, and why trying not to feel disappointed is the very thing that keeps you stuck in disappointment. You’ll also hear: Emme’s honest story about losing (and then finding) confidence while planning her wedding My very first Thanksgiving as a hostess, Martha Stewart expectations, and instantly bursting into tears when my family walked in the door Why vulnerability is not weakness—but the doorway to true connection, safety, and joy in your relationships If you’ve ever walked into a room and wondered, “Why does everyone else seem so confident except me?”—this one’s for you. Your confidence is not missing. It’s just been covered up. Why midlife often triggers a “confidence dip” for women A new definition of confidence: your ability to tolerate and feel hard emotions How overthinking, people-pleasing, and perfectionism quietly block your true self The difference between ego-based “confidence” and grounded, humble confidence How vulnerability actually makes people feel safer and closer to you Simple ways to start accessing the confidence you already have Check out the NIV Application Bible here ⁠https://tinyurl.com/HOJNIVAppBible⁠ and use code HOJ at checkout for an additional 10% off!!  Visit https://tinyurl.com/RONOmahaSteaks for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 dollars off use promo code FUN at checkout! Please donate at https://tinyurl.com/RONMercyShips  Interested in advertising on this show? Learn more here! ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16V_c91F1iIYNZOVvrEinrB9h2dsZq-kZFqYYEDQ4A60/edit⁠  In This Episode, We Talk About: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m taking you behind the scenes of one of my absolute favorite yearly rituals—how I plan my year in a way that feels meaningful, beautiful, and actually doable. This is Part 1 of a four-part framework I’m teaching my clients this month called “Plan Your Most Magical Year Yet.” Today we’re starting where I always start: by looking back at the year you just lived with love instead of criticism. I’ll walk you through how I reviewed my own year—personally, in my relationships, in my rhythms, and in my work—using a simple four-quadrant framework you can copy. You’ll hear how I use my camera roll, a circle divided into four sections, and a lot of gratitude to remember what actually worked this year, what surprised me, and where God met me in ways I didn’t expect. Before we rush into resolutions and goals, this step grounds you in celebration and honor for the woman you’ve already been. The 4-part framework I use to plan my best year yet How to review your year using your camera roll Why we start with celebration, not self-criticism The 4 quadrants I use to review my year: Real-life examples from my own 2025 review Why focusing on celebration doesn’t deny the hard parts I’m teaching the full “Plan Your Most Magical Year Yet” class live on December 18th (all 4 steps of the framework, with prompts, worksheets, and a full workbook). When you join my Made for More Workshop (January 7–9) before December 18th, you’ll get this entire planning class for free as a bonus. 🎉 In Made for More we’ll: Wake up your desires and remember what you’re actually here to create Map out a powerful first quarter of the year Start building a life that feels aligned, intentional, and deeply joyful In this episode, you’ll learn:Want to plan your year with me?👉 Grab your spot for Made for More here:ediewadsworthcoaching.com/more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are officially post-wedding, I have a married daughter (Emme Burgess!!), my hip is still recovering from the dance floor, and today we’re talking about something I get asked about all the time: “Why do you seem healthier, happier, and more energetic now than you did 10–15 years ago?” In this episode, I’m sharing 5 habits I quit in midlife that have radically changed my health, energy, and joy — and honestly make me feel younger now than I did a decade ago. If you’ve ever thought, “Is it too late for me to feel better in my body and in my life?” this episode is my wholehearted no, it’s not too late. If this episode encouraged you, it would mean so much if you’d: Follow/subscribe to House of Joy Leave a review (I read every single one!) Share this episode with a friend who’s walking through midlife and needs some hope I’m so grateful you’re here. Here’s to quitting what drains us and building lives that feel beautiful, meaningful, and joy-filled from the inside out. 💛 Check out the NIV Application Bible here ⁠https://tinyurl.com/HOJNIVAppBible⁠ and use code HOJ at checkout for an additional 10% off!!  Visit https://tinyurl.com/RONOmahaSteaks for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 dollars off use promo code FUN at checkout! Please donate at https://tinyurl.com/RONMercyShips  Interested in advertising on this show? Learn more here! ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16V_c91F1iIYNZOVvrEinrB9h2dsZq-kZFqYYEDQ4A60/edit⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I hope your Thanksgiving week was full of warmth, good food, a little rest, and maybe even a knitting project or two. We had a house full over here — the best kind of beautiful chaos — and somewhere between the leftovers, the blankets, and the allergy fog, I found myself thinking about a pattern I see in myself and in so many women I coach: Our brains love to find problems. Before the coffee is even half gone — boom, three things labeled “wrong.” Today’s episode introduces a reframe that has truly changed my life and the lives of my clients: It sounds simple, but this one question disrupts the entire “problem spiral” our brains default to. When your mind goes into survival mode, scanning for danger, disappointment, or the next thing that might go sideways, your body follows — tension, shallow breathing, cortisol, overwhelm. But when you pause, even for a moment, and ask: “How is this not a problem?” …everything shifts. In this episode, we talk about: Your body instantly braces — your creativity, clarity, and wisdom shut down. It’s not your fault — it’s biology. But you can retrain it. It switches your prefrontal cortex (your wise adult self!) back on. You’re not pretending. You’re interrupting unnecessary suffering. “I feel overwhelmed — and that’s not a problem. I’m a human having a human emotion.” If your brain offers you a catastrophe? You offer it curiosity instead. This is the practice I return to again and again — in motherhood, marriage, business, and daily life. It’s how I see miracles more than I see messes. It’s how I enjoy my life instead of endlessly bracing for the next thing. And I want that for you, too. I can’t wait to hear what shifts for you. I love you so much — I’m cheering for you. Have a beautiful, grounded, grace-filled week. 💛 What if this isn’t a problem?✨ What actually happens in your nervous system when you label something a “problem”✨ Why your brain is addicted to finding problems (especially in midlife)✨ How this one question reopens access to peace, intuition, and groundedness✨ Why reframing isn’t gaslighting✨ Real emotional adulthood✨ How to use this question for the next 24 hours Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, I’m cozied up in my office, cranberry sauce simmering, pie crusts chilling — and my heart is full. I’m sharing how I’ve been living in this creative flow lately and what it really means to create from wonder instead of pressure, perfectionism, or performance. How to notice the miracle of just being alive today Why the state of your heart while you create matters more than the finished product Turning holiday tasks into holy invitations to presence Letting old rooms (and old seasons) be resurrected into new callings Creating space for joy, beauty, memories, and connection this Thanksgiving I’m so deeply grateful for you — for every listen, every share, every kind word. You are part of the House of Joy, and I don’t take that lightly. Happy Thanksgiving week, dear ones.Go create beautiful, meaningful things from the overflow of a grateful heart. 💛 Cozy Earth — My favorite temperature-regulating bamboo* sheets. Try them risk-free with a 100-night trial + 10-year warranty. Use code HOJ for 40% off at https://tinyurl.com/HOJCozyEarth  Check out the NIV Application Bible here https://tinyurl.com/HOJNIVAppBible and use code HOJ at checkout for an additional 10% off!!  Interested in advertising on this show? Learn more here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16V_c91F1iIYNZOVvrEinrB9h2dsZq-kZFqYYEDQ4A60/edit  In this episode, you’ll hear about: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is a treat. I’m joined by writer and thinker Timothy Willard (author of The Beauty Chasers) for a rich, cozy conversation on Advent, beauty, and why this season invites us to return—to God, to our homes, to one another, and to the truest parts of ourselves. We talk about: What Advent is (and isn’t): a church rhythm that helps us not lose the story—the comings of Christ and the light that enters our darkness. “Homeliness” & the ordinary: how God hides Himself in small, everyday things—tables, gardens, candles, waffles, and walks under winter stars. Beauty as an awakening: beauty “arrests” us and lifts our gaze beyond the doom-scroll toward wonder, joy, and presence. Hope as structure (not sentiment): how Christian hope shapes the horizon of our days and gives direction to how we live, love, and serve. Wintering with intention: slowing down, walking in the cold, paying attention, creating space for awareness in a frantic season. Lewis threads: how C.S. Lewis (and friends like Arthur Greeves) inform Tim’s imagination—think The Great Divorce, That Hideous Strength, and The Weight of Glory. An invitation, not just a devotional: Tim’s new Advent email journey offers short reflections, prayers, and simple practices (with some audio readings!) to help you breathe, notice, and chase beauty all season long. Timothy Willard’s Advent Journey (daily email reflections + audio on select days) –  Book: The Beauty Chasers by Timothy Willard – https://a.co/d/1H8ko3h Follow Tim on Instagram –  @timothywillard Links & Resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The actual House of Joy is in the messy middle — room swaps, wallpaper on backorder, dust bunnies, the works. 😂 What started as Tommy’s 13th-birthday room move turned into a full-on home refresh… and a powerful reminder: your spaces carry energy. The rooms you live, work, and create in are quietly shaping your identity and your next level. Today I’m sharing how to uplevel the energetics of your life (and business) — not by trying harder, but by shifting your environment: your home, your relationships, your work, and your inner world. If you feel stuck, stale, or compressed, this episode is your permission slip to clear a corner, move the furniture, and create space for who you’re becoming. We’ll talk about: Why environment is the silent architect of your identity How to know if a space is expanding you or shrinking you The “four rooms” to assess (home, relationships, work/calling, inner life) Simple, immediate ways to shift the energy — from a junk-drawer cleanout to an honest conversation to a 10-minute journaling reset Planning for 2026 with intention (yes, my giant wall calendars are out!) The power of saying yes to the change you’ve been resisting Home: If your true self lived here, what would this room feel like? What one corner can you clear today? Relationships: What’s the current energy — light and connected, or heavy and resentful? What one action would shift it? Work/Calling: If it were a building, would you want to hang out there? What would make it more creative and joyful? Inner World: What’s the tone of your inner room — cluttered or sacred? What belief or habit needs redecorating with grace? 💛 Come get in a “room” that uplevels you:  Life Mentoring School: ediewadsworthcoaching.com/join  Four Reflection QuestionsCoach Certification: ediewadsworthcoaching.com/certification Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode is one of my very favorites — a replay from this time last year that still feels just as true today. It’s all about finishing the year with intention, peace, and purpose… instead of stress, striving, or burnout. If you’ve felt a little disconnected or like you’re living on autopilot lately (been there, friend 🙋‍♀️), this episode is your gentle wake-up call. Emmy joins me for a heart-to-heart conversation on: ✨ What it really means to “get back on track” — without hustle or pressure ✨ How to reconnect with yourself and your purpose after a busy season ✨ The power of setting identity-based goals instead of “should” goals ✨ How to tell yourself the truth — with grace instead of shame ✨ Practical ways to live awake, present, and intentional for the rest of the year We talk about what it looks like to design your life 90 days at a time — not as a rigid plan, but as a rhythm that helps you stay aligned with your true self and God’s best for you. If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect time” to start fresh — this is it. These last six weeks of the year can still be full of meaning, creativity, connection, and joy. 🌿 🌸 Join the free class: Design Your Life 90 Days at a Time → https://www.ediewadsworthcoaching.com/guidebook 💛 Learn more about Coach Certification: https://www.ediewadsworthcoaching.com/certification Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My heart is still overflowing after spending the weekend with the incredible women in our Life Mentoring School coaching community. Over 120 of us gathered together for a weekend of teaching, dancing, laughter, prayer, and deep connection — and it reminded me once again why the company you keep matters so much. In this episode, I’m sharing seven reasons community is one of the most powerful forces for transformation — and why the people you surround yourself with quietly shape everything about the life you create. We’ll talk about: 💛 How real, lasting transformation happens in relationship — not isolation 💛 Why belonging is a decision, not something you wait for 💛 How proximity determines what feels “normal” in your life 💛 What to do when you’ve outgrown certain circles 💛 Why contribution beats comparison every time 💛 How the right people make you braver 💛 And why legacy is never a solo project I’ll also share a few behind-the-scenes stories from our most recent coaching event — the joy, the tears, the breakthroughs — and an invitation for you if you’re craving this kind of community too. Maybe you’ve been walking through a season that feels lonely… or maybe you’ve been the one holding space for everyone else, and you’re finally realizing you need some support too. Friend, you don’t have to do it alone. The company you keep can change everything — for your growth, your joy, and your legacy. 🌿 P.S. If you’ve felt that nudge to become a coach or mentor, to turn your own transformation into impact — this is your sign. Certification for our February class is now open for a limited time. Come be part of this powerful community of women who are living, leading, and loving from their true selves.  Learn more about Life Mentoring School Certification → ediewadsworthcoaching.com/certification Check out the NIV Application Bible here https://tinyurl.com/HOJNIVAppBible and use code HOJ at checkout for an additional 10% off!!  Try Piper and Leaf tea! https://tinyurl.com/HOJPiperandLeaf  Interested in advertising on this show? Learn more here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16V_c91F1iIYNZOVvrEinrB9h2dsZq-kZFqYYEDQ4A60/edit  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices