She was uninspired, out of shape, and longing for the younger version of herself. She thought a hip hop dance class might solve some of her problems.

Valentine’s Day greeted her with the flu, thousands of notifications on her Facebook account, and hundreds of messages from strangers. Her immediate assumption? She’d been hacked. But she was wrong. A random social media post made of her hip hop dancing had gone viral. With nothing else to do while sick in bed, Catherine Diane responded to over 15,000 messages and began a reinvention of herself at the age of 57. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/catherine.bedell.3/ .

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Dog Mountain is set on 150 acres on a private mountaintop spot in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The grounds are always open to people and their dogs. Artist Stephen Huneck and his wife, Gwen, bought the property in 1995 and turned the barn into studio space. After Stephen’s unique visionary experience, the Dog Chapel soon followed. The Dog Chapel opened its doors Memorial Day weekend of 2000. The unspoiled haven is covered with hiking trails and dog ponds. Wildflowers abound in the summer and snowshoeing is a favorite activity in the winter. Year after year, the Dog Chapel and the Stephen Huneck Gallery get more and more visitors from all over the world.

Leashes are optional on Dog Mountain. Dogs are free to run, play, swim, and (best of all) meet other dogs! Dogs are not just welcome here, they are cherished.

Find out more at: dogmt.com.

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We’ve all heard midlife reinvention stories, and I’ve got a special one for you. I’ve wanted to interview this guest for years, and I finally got to meet her recently at a public radio shindig. Her life story illustrates the bittersweetness of life–also known as “life is Brutiful”, a phrase coined  by Glennon Doyle. 

Diane Jones is a composer, musician, and host on WCNY Classic FM in Syracuse.  After too many years in the administrative world, she left the corporate workforce to pursue her passion in music – a choice that has taken her to Carnegie Hall and recording with the London Symphony Orchestra. Her love of music is now joined by a love of cycling and raising awareness and support for cancer research and patient services. Find out more at https://www.petdragonmusic.com/

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Mary Bryant Schrader is the host of “Mary’s Nest”, a Youtube channel with over a million subscribers. She teaches the simple pleasures of cooking highly nutritious and affordable foods from her Texas kitchen. A native New Yorker, Mary learned cooking from her mom and began cooking “in a sliver of a kitchen.” She thinks preparing a beautiful roast chicken, soup or bread can be its own kind of therapy in these unsettling times. Her style is so inviting that even viewers with no interest in cooking tune in for her classes. Find out more at MarysNest.com.

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There’s been a lot of buzz about the new weight loss drug like Ozempic. Celebrities are singing their praises. But are they appropriate for midlife women who are frustrated by their menopause midsection weight gain? Do they work? Are they safe? 

I had a very eye opening conversation with Peg Doyle, an expert in the field of nutrition and lifestyle. Peg is committed to the vital link between food and health, especially for women over age 50. Her book, Food Becomes You – Simple Steps for Lifelong Wellness is an easy how-to on eating well and preventing the diseases of aging. She talks about the pros and cons of the new weight loss drugs and some of the facts that are not discussed on the catchy ads. Learn more about her programs here: WellnessandYou.com.

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After a particularly painful break up and the death of his father, artist Day Schildkret began using materials in nature to make designs–what he calls “morning altars” by gathering stray twigs, flowers, pinecones and leaves, and turning them into beautiful works of art. He calls his technique “Impermanent Earth Art”. He’s developed a curriculum to teach this technique to people all over the world through his workshops, both online and in person.

Morning Altar public installations have been commissioned internationally by parks, museums, galleries, corporations, festivals, community centers, cemeteries, and weddings. Large scale installs have also been featured at The 9/11 Memorial Plaza, NYC. Find out more at MorningAltars.com.

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Julia Daily calls herself a late bloomer, but that’s really not the case. Instead, she bloomed throughout her life with various careers, from teaching to public relations and marketing to non-profit work. She even shadowed Martha Stewart. But, as her age topped six decades, she ran a marathon, wrote two novels, and began a podcast to celebrate those like her who published their first books after the age of 50. So what is there left for her to do? Well, she’s taking pickleball lessons and assisting a scriptwriter in Hollywood with the treatment of her stories. Find out more at JuliaDaily.com.

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Dr. Peter Rohloff is the co-founder and Chief Medical Officer for Maya Health Alliance, a primary care organization working with indigenous Maya communities in rural Guatemala. He never intended to move to Guatemala, but when he went to visit on vacation and learn Spanish he found his calling. 

Rohloff soon learned that Guatemala has one of the largest Indigenous populations in the Americas, and more than 20 Indigenous Mayan languages. These languages are becoming endangered there which affects the health and wellbeing of the Maya people who speak them. Most health care providers do not speak the Mayan dialects, and many indigenous people do not speak Spanish. Rohoff shares his time between his home in Guatemala and teaching at Harvard Medical School. He’s an avid hiker and birdwatcher. Find out more about Maya Health Alliance: https://www.wuqukawoq.org/

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Have you ever considered hiking in Europe but think of hiking as too strenuous? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Cassandra Overby is the author of “Explore Europe on Foot” and several other walking-based travel guides that promote hiking as a better way to travel. She describes it as a more intimate experience because you get to know your surroundings, and you are able to get a taste for the local culture. You might have seen the New York Times recent article on ‘the year of the long walk”. People are longing for a slower and more mindful experience when they travel.

Cassandra also teaches classes and offers trip consultations to help people plan the walking trip of their dreams. She’s a specialist on the Camino de Santiago and is likely one of very few who got married on the steps of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. She was also travel host Rick Steve’s guide on the Camino. Learn more about the appeal of walking vacations here: https://explore-on-foot.com/ .

Camp Reinvention – Fall 2023 Program You know I am not one to promote anything that I don’t stand by 100%. I am thrilled to be partnering with Wendy Perottii and Dana Hilmer, the minds behind Camp Reinvention. If you are interested in learning about how to become the very best version of yourself in this new phase….you owe it to yourself to check this out. These women are both master coaches with tons of experience helping women transform their lives. They’ve put together a comprehensive program that is science and results based and helps you create a life with more vibrance, passion and clarity. I’m really impressed with their work and happy to be supporting them. Please use this link: https://zestfulaging.krtra.com/t/H5VIADPLa4lF when you order.*

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Krista O’Reilly-Davi-Digui is a writer and holistic mind-body coach and the voice behind “A Life in Progress” community. She helps people navigate profound loss (her son who died by suicide in 2019) and at the same time cultivate joy. Her particular focus is women in mid-life. Find out more at ALifeinProgress.ca.

Find out more about the Zestful Aging Podcast at ZestfulAging.com