Society & CultureEducationSelf-Improvement

Now What

Melissa Murphy

Welcome to Now What, the podcast that dives into the heart of midlife and all its twists and turns. Whether you're feeling lost, bored, or wondering what your next move should be, you're not alone. Join Melis as she explores the ups, downs, and everything in between, offering insights and real talk to help you find your way through this new chapter. Together, we'll navigate the midlife maze and discover what's next. Let's go!

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#79
Yesterday · 24 min
(#79) Two Kids Down, One to Go: College Drop-Off, Driving Fights & Two Disasters in a Trench Coat - with Shannon "Papi" Murphy
Squad! We just dropped kid #2 off at college, and I made the drive down with the man who rated my driving a 3 out of 10 in under a second. Papi is my husband, my co-parent, and the slowest driver in Northern California — and this conversation did not disappoint. Meet Shannon "Papi" Murphy: Husband. Father of three. Drives like a 90-year-old on his way to the early-bird special and critiques from the passenger seat anyway. Currently entering his pickleball era and claims to be "very good" at ping pong despite never touching the one in our house. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: 🚗 The driving showdown: he rated me a 3, I rated him a 6 (too slow), plus the bumper I lost and the tree I hit (not my fault, I was grieving) 🎓 College drop-off, round two: 5.2 minutes in the apartment, one roommate met, and who actually cried first (he lied) 🏠 The quiet house, the room I can't go into yet, and life with one kid left at home — senior year, the countdown is on 💑 What happens next fall when it's just us across the table (his answer: "we'll work through it or we won't." Romantic.) 🏓 Papi's pickleball era, my pay-only volunteer policy, and why we are DONE doing things for free 💥 Plot Twist Takeaway Drop-off day isn't the end of your story — it's the part where you get your time back. Miss them. Cry at a Chevron. Then pick up a paddle, raise your rates, and take up space. We are not done. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Papi 🏓 Find him on the pickleball court, still swinging like it's a tennis racket 🌐 He lives at motivatewithmelis.com whether he likes it or not ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#78
September 10 · 50 min
(#78) - Before She Was a World Champion, Ellen Told Her to Cover Her Arms - with Marisa Inda
Squad, today's guest went viral doing pull-ups to Biggie Smalls before "going viral" was even a job — and it landed her on Ellen. Except the show's producers made her cover her arms and told her not to mention that she lifts. We're getting into that, and about thirty years of proof that your strongest years might not be behind you. Meet Marisa Inda: IPF World Champion powerlifter, six-time national champion, with an all-time total of 430kg at a 52kg bodyweight. Elite strength coach with Juggernaut Training Systems and RP Strength, author of Fuerza, and mom of two. Went from teenage bodybuilder to powerlifting record-holder, and hit her best-ever competition lifts — a 336 squat, 224 bench, and 419-pound deadlift — at 41. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: ● 🎙️ The real story behind her Ellen Show appearance — and why producers told her to cover her arms and never mention that she lifts weights ● 💪 Her best competition lifts happened at 41 — numbers that would make anyone rethink what's possible after 40 ● 🤰 Training through pregnancy, the gym whispers that followed her, and why she never bought into "you're a mom now, sit down" ● 🧠 The "toning" myth she wants banned from the fitness conversation forever, plus the biggest mistake she sees women over 40 make in the gym 💥 Plot Twist Takeaway Your story doesn't end at 25. Or when you get married. Or when you become a mom. Or when you turn 50. Marisa's proof is written in her own numbers — her best lifts came in her 40s, and she's still chasing more. You are your own Picasso, Squad. Pick up the damn bar. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Marisa ● 📸 @marisainda ● 🌐 juggernautai.app (@juggernautai.app) and @rpstrength — her powerlifting/power-building coaching through Juggernaut Training Systems and RP Strength ● 📚 Fuerza — her book on getting strong, now ebook-only, available through her Instagram Footer & Contact ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#77
September 3 · 13 min
(#77) Death Sucks. I'm Back Anyway. — Solo with Melis
Squad, I'm back — and yes, we're opening with death, because that's just how we do things around here. Full transparency: I thought about easing back in soft. Instead you're getting real life, real chaos, and the actual reason the show went quiet this summer. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: 💔 My brother-in-law Sean's sudden passing at 58 — and why the show really went quiet for a month 😅 The "medical condition" I have where I laugh at the most inappropriate times — funerals included — and why that's actually how I process hard things 🌪️ Choosing chaos over quiet: why I picked "go bigger" instead of easing back in gently 💪 Training for bodybuilding competition #2, one week before I turn 55 — proof I'm not just talking reinvention, I'm living it 📣 Publicly calling out my dream guests — Zarna Garg, Erin and Sara Foster, and Shop With Caroline — right here, right now 💥 Plot Twist Takeaway Death sucks. Still true. But it also clarifies the hell out of things — it cancels the noise and tells you exactly what matters. Protect your energy, clean house, and go after the thing you think you're too old or too tired for. If I can do a second bodybuilding show a week before I turn 55, you can do the thing on your list. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#76
August 6 · 59 min
(#76) She Trained for the Olympics, Crashed, and Won Gold Anyway - with Lori Montry
Squad, she's back — Lori Montry, author of You Are Not The Problem, joined us back on Episode 58 and I took approximately 47 mental notes I'm still unpacking. This time she's got an update, and it is NOT the one either of us expected. Meet Lori Montry: Somatic practitioner, author of You Are Not The Problem, and proof that even the person who wrote the book on not being broken can still fully spiral over a race. Also: a brand-new National Senior Games gold medalist, which — yeah, we're getting into that. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: 📚 The book launch update — and why something she didn't expect to be stressful nearly took her out 💥 The full crash: overtraining, an Oura Ring basically begging her to stay in bed, and the trainer conversation that stopped her in her tracks ("What's your priority?") 🏅 The National Senior Games plot twist — she almost didn't show up at all, switched to a race she hadn't run in 35 years with zero training, and then... won gold 🧠 Her reframe on hormones and midlife that made me physically gasp (estrogen is doing WHAT for us?) 💍 Why "I can be mediocre for free" might be the most useful sentence you hear all week 💥 Plot Twist Takeaway You don't have to be the superstar version of yourself to show up. Lori almost skipped her own comeback because she couldn't guarantee she'd be perfect at it — and she won gold anyway. Squad, that's the whole show in one sentence. Go be imperfect and show up anyway. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Lori: 📸 [Lori's IG handle] 🌐 LoriMontry.com 📚 You Are Not The Problem — book one of a three-part series, get it wherever you buy books 📧 Weekly Readers Circle — Zoom, Mondays 5pm MT, kicks off August 17th, open enrollment anytime ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#75
July 23 · 41 min
(#75) She Lost Her Brain in a Car Crash. Then She Found Herself. - with Martine Cohen
Squad, most of us spend years becoming really good at something — a career, a role, a title — until that thing quietly becomes who we are. My guest today didn't get to ease into that realization. A car accident took the one thing this sharp, strategic corporate attorney depended on most: her brain. Overnight. What she found in that silence, and what she built from it, became a bestselling, award-winning book and a framework that's now helping high achievers everywhere strip back the layers keeping them stuck. Meet Martine Cohen: Two law degrees. A career built on being the sharpest person in the room. Then a 2016 car accident took her cognitive function overnight, and she had to rebuild her sense of self from scratch. Now she's an award-winning author (No More Layers), speaker, and self-leadership coach who teaches people how to do the identity work she was forced into — without the concussion. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: 🚗 The car accident that took Martine's brain overnight, and the terrifying question that followed: "Who am I if I'm not this?" 🛁 The bathtub epiphany that started her healing, and the "layers" she found underneath (perfectionism, worthiness, control, and more) 🧠 Why "turn your fear into curiosity" might be the single best brain hack we've ever had on this show — and why fear and curiosity literally cannot coexist 😤 The fight Melis has with her alarm clock every single morning, and why Martine says nobody wins that fight ☕ The cappuccino ritual that sounds silly and isn't — a two-minute reset that changes your entire day 💍 Guilt, motherhood, and why "I love my kids AND I wish I worked at Dunkin' Donuts today" can both be true at once 💥 Plot Twist Takeaway You don't need a concussion to lose yourself. Midlife will do it just fine — a divorce, a layoff, an empty nest, a body that stops cooperating. Martine's plot twist is that the identity crisis isn't the end of the story. It's the invitation to finally ask who you actually are underneath the layers everyone else built. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Martine 📸 @martinecohen_ 🌐 martinecohen.com 💼 LinkedIn: Martine Cohen NML 🎁 Free 2-day Mindset Reset (gift for the Squad!) — martinecohen.com/connectwithme 📚 Grab the book, No More Layers — on Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes & Noble ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#74
July 16 · 39 min
(#74) Men Have a Midlife Crisis Too? Meet Andropause. - with James Davis
Squad, we're going international today. My guest lives in London, and he just informed me that men have their own midlife hormone crisis and nobody bothered to tell us. It's called andropause, and yes, my first reaction was exactly what yours is about to be. Meet James Davis: Coaching psychologist, men's health advocate, keynote speaker, and author of The Midlife Male Handbook: A Man's Guide to Thriving Through Andropause. Spends his days explaining menopause to rooms full of confused men and andropause to rooms full of skeptical women (me). Married to his own midlife journey — he lived through a full andropause dip himself, in Marbella, of all places. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🎙️ I ask James point blank if men are just trying to steal menopause now too — his answer changed my mind 📉 What andropause actually is, why it creeps up over decades instead of hitting all at once, and why that makes it so easy for men to write off as "just getting older" 💬 Why most men have zero language for what they're feeling — and how that silence is quietly wrecking marriages and mental health 💍 The real talk on what happens when a menopausal woman and an andropausal man are living in the same house at the same time (spoiler: it's not pretty) 🧠 The "do I want to be right or do I want to be happy" line that's staying in my head rent-free 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY This isn't about men stealing your moment, Squad. It's about realizing your husband, your brother, your dad might be going through his own quiet identity collapse — and he doesn't have the words for it. Start the conversation. It might save more than his mood. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with James 📚 The Midlife Male Handbook — available on Amazon now (buy it for the man in your life, he won't ask for it himself) 🌐 jamespdavis.com 🌐 themidlifementors.com ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#73
June 25 · 56 min
(#73) "The Fury Is the Fuel": How Comedy Unlocks the Creative Dream You've Been Sitting On - with Lynn Harris
Squad, I have a confession — I have always wanted to be an actress. Always. And today I'm sitting across from someone who has literally helped women bust down the doors of Hollywood by making people laugh first. Meet Lynn Harris: culture-shifting producer, award-winning journalist, author of six books, former Tonya Harding lookalike (yes, we get into it), and founder of Gold Comedy — the comedy school, professional network, and content studio where women and non-binary creators build real entertainment careers, find their people, and make funny stuff that actually gets seen. This conversation is not just for people who want to do stand-up. It's for anyone who has an idea — a show, a podcast, a business pitch, a creative dream — stuck in a drawer on their heart. Lynn's message is simple and it wrecked me: you already have everything you need. The skills you build through comedy unlock every other thing you want to create. And the only thing stopping you? Probably the patriarchy. (Her words. I love her.) 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🎭 The Tonya Harding lookalike saga — figure skates, Geraldo, Ricky Lake, and a feminist crisis in her 20s 😂 Why comedy is an art form that doesn't get the credit it deserves — and what the cast of Somebody Somewhere has to do with it 🔑 The skill that changes everything: "noticing that you're noticing" — and why it makes you funnier AND more creative in everything you do 🏆 Why your life being "boring" is actually the perfect starting point (not the excuse you think it is) 💥 What Gold Comedy actually is — and why it's built for women in midlife who have a creative idea they've been putting off for 10 years 🚀 The one class that women 40+ keep gravitating toward — and what it really teaches you (hint: it's not how to write a pilot) 🎤 "The fury is the fuel" — Lynn's drop on why frustration with the status quo is actually your greatest creative asset 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY You don't need more confidence. You don't need more time. You don't need to wait until your kids are grown, your schedule clears, or you feel "ready." You have lived to this point in the world — that's the material. The idea in the drawer on your heart? It's been waiting long enough. Comedy school, pilot pitch, podcast, talk show — whatever it is — you're already ready. Now go do it. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Lynn Harris & Gold Comedy: 🌐 goldcomedy.com 📸 Find Lynn at goldcomedy.com — free trial + annual membership available 🎓 Ask about the "Develop and Pitch Any Idea" premium class with Ryan Elizabeth Cunningham (former producer on Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City, Search Party) ☕ Free consultation with Lynn available at goldcomedy.com ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#71
June 20 · 41 min
(#72) "Happy Father's Day, Papi (Now Apologize)" - with Shannon "Papi" Murphy
Squad, it's Father's Day, which means Papi is back in the chair — and within the first 90 seconds I'm already mad at him for something he did in my dream last night. Welcome to marriage. Meet Papi: Husband. Father of three. Professional avoider of feelings until cornered on a podcast. Wore a visor through two birth experiences for reasons he still cannot explain. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🎙️ The microphone confession nobody asked for (you'll know it when you hear it) 😴 Why I woke up furious at my own husband over something that happened in a dream — and he's still paying for it 👶 Rapid-fire dad questions: favorite kid, most expensive kid, who gave him the most gray hair (he answered honestly, mostly) 💍 The real talk on co-parenting, therapy, and the years it took us to stop attacking each other and start listening 😭 Papi gets emotional talking about losing his own dad — and what he hopes our kids take from watching him 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Father's Day isn't about the perfect gift or the perfect dad. It's about showing up, owning your fails, and letting your kids watch you keep trying. Papi's no hero in my dreams — but he's the real deal when it counts. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Papi: 📸 Find him hiding behind the camera, never in front of it 🌐 He lives at motivatewithmelis.com whether he likes it or not ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#71
June 11 · 37 min
(#71) Your Home Should Set You Free — Stay, Go, or Reno - with Kim Costa
Squad, we talk a lot about reinventing ourselves in midlife — new career, new mindset, new body. But what about the actual physical space you come home to every single day? Because if your environment isn't aligned with who you are becoming, it is quietly working against you. Kim Costa is here to fix that. 🏠 Meet Kim Costa: She's a top 5% realtor, author of Live in Your Wheelhouse, and creator of the Wheelhouse Method — a framework that helps women figure out whether to stay, renovate, or move when life shifts. This isn't just a real estate conversation. This is about identity, intention, and why your home might be the missing piece of your reinvention. And yes — she broke her back falling off a horse to figure this out. So you don't have to. 😄 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🏠 The Wheelhouse Method — the 8-spoke framework that helps you figure out if your home is aligned with who you're becoming 🛑 The "Stay, Go, or Reno" decision — and how to know which one is right for you RIGHT NOW 📸 Why the wall of kids' photos might be holding you back — and what to put up instead (spoiler: it's YOU) 🎨 The Divine Goddess painting that changed Kim's life after divorce — and why your artwork should reflect who you're becoming 🚴 The one thing in your home that's giving you guilt every single day — and why you need to get rid of it NOW 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY You've been putting everyone else on the wall. Your kids. Your wedding. Your family. But where are YOU? Your home should reflect who you are BECOMING — not just who you've been. Stay. Go. Reno. But whatever you do — put yourself on the wall. 🔥 Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Kim Costa: 📸 @kimecosta 🌐 lifestylefoundations.com 📚 Live in Your Wheelhouse — available on Amazon AND at lifestylefoundations.com (get free bonus chapters + a masterclass with your purchase!) ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#70
June 4 · 41 min
(#70) Your Skin Isn't the Problem - Your Relationship With It Is - with Zhanna Gavrilov
Squad, if you've ever looked in the mirror, seen one breakout, and immediately questioned every decision you've made since 1997 — this episode is for you. Zhanna Gavrilov is about to completely change how you think about your skin, your self-talk, and what's actually going on beneath the surface. Meet Zhanna Gavrilov: She's a European-born, California-based holistic skin specialist, licensed esthetician, certified life coach, meditation instructor, Reiki practitioner, and founder of Integrative Esthetics and Radiance Coach. With over 25 years of experience, Zhanna helps women end what she calls "Skin Exile" — that quiet separation from your own confidence because of what you see in the mirror. She's not just treating your skin. She's helping you come home to yourself. ✨ 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: • ✨ What "Skin Exile" actually means — and why so many women are living in it right now without realizing it • 🧠 Why your skin is a messenger, not the enemy — and what it's trying to tell you • 🌿 The holistic approach to skin health that goes way beyond products — connecting skincare, nutrition, stress, mindset and emotional wellness • 💧 The surprising thing you should be thinking about when you apply your skincare products every single day • 🛑 The biggest mistake women make when they get a breakout — and what to do instead 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Your skin isn't broken. It's talking. And the way you talk BACK to it — in the mirror, in your head, while you're applying your products — matters more than any cream you'll ever buy. Stop exiling yourself. Start coming home. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Zhanna Gavrilov: 📸 @radiancecoach 🌐 radiance-coach.com (online platform) 🌐 integrative-esthetics.com (in-studio skincare — Newport Beach, CA) 📘 Facebook: Radiance Coach 🎵 TikTok: @radiancecoach 🎁 FREE Radiance Reset Guide — download at radiance-coach.com. 3 science-backed daily habits for healthier skin, glow-boosting recipes and simple holistic skincare resets. No harsh chemicals. Just real results. ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#69
May 28 · 34 min
(#69) Your 401k Shouldn't Become a 201k - Let's Fix That with Mike Milligan
Squad, we are talking about money today. Your money. Your next chapter. Your plan. And I brought in the guy who makes this stuff actually make sense — without the intimidation, without the jargon, and without making you feel behind. This conversation is going to fire you up in ways you did not expect from a money episode. Meet Mike Milligan: He's a certified financial planner, fiduciary, founder of Ideas by Mike and One Oak Financial, and author of The One-of-a-Kind Financial Plan. Mike has spent 30 years helping people turn financial chaos into a real plan — and he lives in Puerto Rico because taxes are THAT big of a deal to him. Yeah. He's that good. 💸 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for up to 30% off now through June 1st. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 💸 Why money is just a tool — and how shifting that mindset changes everything about how you earn, save and spend 🏠 The $10,000 gift that could give your kids $500,000 in equity — and why giving money NOW beats leaving an inheritance later 🧾 The Augusta, Georgia tax hack that lets you rent your home tax-free — and yes, it applies to YOU too 😴 The "sleep meter" approach to financial risk — and why there's no one-size-fits-all answer for midlife investing 📖 Why your first memory of money is running your financial life right now — and what to do about it 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Your financial plan shouldn't be built around a spreadsheet. It should be built around your life — your why, your goals, your laundry preferences. 😄 It's never too late to get this right. And the cost of NOT having a plan is always higher than the cost of getting one. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Mike Milligan: 🌐 mikemilligan.com 📚 The One-of-a-Kind Financial Plan — available on Amazon. Search "Mike Milligan One of a Kind Financial Plan" Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1oakfinancial/ Website: https://1oakfinancial.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemilligancfp/overlay/about-this-profile/ ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#68
May 21 · 44 min
(#68) Your Body Isn't Broken...Your Approach Is - with Michelle MacDonald
Squad, if you've ever thought your body was broken, your metabolism was shot, or it was just too late — Michelle MacDonald is about to blow your mind. This conversation is one of the most science-packed, myth-busting, fire-starting episodes we've ever done. Buckle up. Meet Michelle MacDonald: She's a world-renowned strength and transformation coach, four-time FMG champion, founder of The Wonderwomen, and the woman behind her mom Joan MacDonald's viral fitness transformation that took the internet by storm. Michelle helps women over 40 build muscle, reclaim their health, and lead themselves with unshakable discipline. Her mission? End the obsession with shrinking and show women how to rise. She lives between San Miguel and Tulum. And yes — she lifts heavy. 💪 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for up to 30% off now through June 1st. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: • 💪 The biggest lie women over 40 believe about their bodies — and the truth that will change everything • 🔬 Why Michelle's approach is science-based AND results-proven — and how to spot the difference between real coaching and cheerleading • 🍽️ The real reason you can't out-train a decade of undereating — and what it actually takes to build the body you want in midlife • 💊 The honest truth about GLP-1s — what they can do, what they can't, and what you absolutely must be doing alongside them • 🏆 Why bodybuilding is actually a team sport — and how The Wonderwomen community is changing what's possible for women in midlife 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Your body isn't broken. Your approach was. Your current picture will one day be your before picture — but only if you stop shrinking and start building. Women can do hard things. Michelle just proved it with her mom. Now it's your turn. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Michelle MacDonald: 📸 @michellemacdonaldofficial 📸 @thewonderwomenofficial 🌐 michellemacdonaldofficial.com 📧 hello@thewonderwomen.com 🔗 Don't miss Joan: 📸 @trainwithjoan 📱 Train with Joan App — plankk.partners/trainwithjoan 📣 UPCOMING FROM MICHELLE: 🏋️ 24-Week Transformation Program — launching June 15th. Very limited spots. Email hello@thewonderwomen.com to get on the waitlist. 🌴 2027 Annual Retreat — February 21st, Amansala in Tulum. 35 spots only. Waitlist opening next month. Email hello@thewonderwomen.com to get on the list. ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#67
May 14 · 1 hr 6 min
(#67) She Won a Station Wagon, Survived Sepsis & Is Absolutely Not Done Yet - with Wawa (aka-My Mom)
Squad! She raised me, outlasted a game show circuit, survived sepsis at 84, and still showed up to this podcast with curled hair and a matching leather jacket. This one is for every mother, daughter, and woman who refuses to slow down — no matter what life throws at them. 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyearth.com for 20% off. And make sure to mention Now What?! in the post-purchase survey so they know we sent you. 😌 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🎰 How Wawa won a station wagon, a trip to Europe & $11,000 on game shows — and the strategy behind it all 😂 The story of how "Wawa" got her name (hint: it involves a painter named Wa Lo and a toddler named Tyler) 🚨 The health scare that almost took her from us — a UTI, a gallstone, sepsis & the ICU stay that changed everything 💡 What surviving a near-death experience at 84 taught her about not wasting a single moment ❤️ The advice she'd give every woman in midlife: stop missing the moments, take up space & go do the thing NOW 💥 PLOT TWIST TAKEAWAY Wawa survived sepsis, came home from rehab, and her first question was whether Melis made it to Tyler's party. That's the energy. Stop waiting. Stop stressing. Go do the thing — because we are not done, and neither is she. Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🔗 Connect with Wawa: 📸 She doesn't have Instagram. She's 84 and living her best life. Respect it. 😌 ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis 📸 @motivatewithmelis ▶️ @NowWhatPodcastwithMelis 🎵 open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 🎙️ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 🌐 motivatewithmelis.com 📧 info@motivatewithmelis.com
#66
April 30 · 21 min
(#66) Make Shiz Happen May (Yes… You're Doing the Thing) - Solo with Melis
"You're not stuck… you're stalling." Gloss Squad… you didn't just press play — you signed up for a challenge. After a slightly woo-woo but wildly eye-opening hypnosis session (yes, in my closet 😅), I had a realization I couldn't ignore: I'm not confused… I've been playing small. And I know I'm not the only one. So welcome to Make Shiz Happen May — where we stop waiting, stop overthinking, and finally start doing the thing. 🔥 In This Episode, We Get Into: The surprising breakthrough from my hypnosis session (and what it revealed about playing small) Why "I don't have time" might be the biggest lie we tell ourselves The difference between being stuck vs. stalling (this one hits 😏) Why clarity and confidence only come after you take action 🚀 Your Challenge (Yes, You Have Homework): Pick ONE thing you've been putting off… And take ONE step toward it within 24 hours. Not a plan. Not a list. Action. If you're in, DM me "MAY" — I'm holding you accountable 👀 And remember...Midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 💬 Connect with Me: Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com ⭐️ Loving the show? Leave a 5-star review (only the 5-star energy allowed 😏): RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis
#65
April 23 · 17 min
(#65) Midlife Graduation: The Plot Twist No One Warned You About
"It's not just our kids graduating… we are too." Graduation season hits different when you're the parent. One minute you're clapping, cheering, taking a million photos… …and the next you're crying in your car over the last lunchbox. Because here's the truth no one talks about: This isn't just their transition—it's yours too. In this solo episode, Melis gets real about the emotional whiplash of graduation season, the identity shift that follows, and the big question lurking underneath it all… Now What?! 🎧 In This Episode, We Get Into: Why graduation feels like an emotional identity crisis no one warned you about The quiet reality of being needed less… and what the hell to do with that The toxic pull of comparison season (aka everyone's highlight reel vs your real life) Your official permission slip to stop living for everyone else and start your reset 🔥 REAL TALK MOMENT: You don't have to have it all figured out. Melis is 53 and still asking "what do I want to be when I grow up?"—and guess what… that's not failure. That's freedom. Graduation isn't just a milestone for your kids… It's a mirror. Everything is shifting. And maybe—just maybe—that's exactly what you needed. And remember, midlife isn't a crisis - it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 📲 CONTACT Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com ⭐️ RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis (5 stars only… we're fragile in midlife, okay? 😂)
#64
April 17 · 29 min
(#64) Nobody Talks About What Men Feel in Midlife (So I Asked My Husband 😏)
GLOSS SQUAD… buckle up because PAPI is BACK and this one? This one is unfiltered, slightly chaotic, and accidentally turned into a couples therapy session 😅 We talk a lot about midlife for women… but today? We flipped the mic and got REAL about what's actually going on in a man's head. And let's just say… they're feeling it too 👀 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE GET INTO: 💭 Do men actually feel the midlife shift… or just joke their way through it? (hint: they feel it… they just don't talk about it) 💼 The silent pressure men carry: career, money, kids, and figuring out what's next at 50+ ❤️ What men wish women understood (this got REAL fast 😅) including the gym vs. couch debate that almost ended us 🤯 The unexpected part of midlife no one talks about: identity shifts, empty-ish nests… and suddenly not knowing what to do at night 💡 REAL TALK TAKEAWAY Men might not say it out loud… but midlife hits them too. It just shows up as: pressure quiet stress and a lot of "I'll deal with it later" energy So maybe… we all just talk about it more. (Or at least argue about it on a podcast 🤷‍♀️) Because midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com ⭐️ Loved this episode? Laugh, relate, and then go do us a favor…. leave a 5-star review ONLY (we're not accepting anything less, respectfully 😌) 👉 RateThisPodcast.com/nowwhatwithmelis
#63
April 10 · 45 min
(#63) "Stop Playing Detective" - How to Talk to Teens with Communication Strategist, Maria Iams (rerun)
HOOPS & GLOSS! Do you have teens? Are you around teens? Do you have younger kids who will become teens at some point in their lives? Then you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE! Melis has the most fascinating conversation with Communication Strategist Maria Iams. Maria gives simple communication tools on how to connect with your teenager…and they're easier than you think! Here's what's coming at ya: "Parents…you need to be better listeners!" …Maria explains why this is crucial! Learn how to communicate with your teens from a language of "compliance (don't touch the stove, you will burn yourself), to a language of "connection" and "collaboration" FInd out the #1 tip of what NOT to do when you first see your teenager (and learn how Melis already broke that rule first thing that morning ;) This episode is a GAME CHANGER and will help you become closer to your teenagers! Check it out, Glossers! xoxo melis 🎧 Listen Now: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 💬 Let's Stay Connected: 📲 CONTACT Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: @MelissaMurphyNowWhatPodcast Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com ✨ And Remember… Midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis
#62
April 2 · 14 min
(#62) - The Season of Disruption: Why Midlife Is Your Expansion Era - Solo with Melis
"Maybe the problem isn't that you want more… maybe you've outgrown what you built." Midlife isn't where you slow down — it's where you expand. This week, Melis is calling it out: 👉 This is the season of disruption. You can have a life that looks good on paper… and still feel restless. That doesn't make you ungrateful — it means you're evolving. 🔥 In This Episode: Why "I should be happy" is keeping you stuck The guilt around wanting more (and why it's not the problem) The truth about feeling restless or "off" The reframe: you've outgrown what you built Why midlife is your expansion era — not your ending 💥 Mic-Drop Moments: "Wanting more does not make you ungrateful." "You can love your life and still outgrow it." "Two things can be true at the same time." "We are not done." 🚀 Your Challenge: Do one thing today. Send the email Sign up for the class Start the thing you've been putting off Because clarity doesn't come from thinking — it comes from moving. 🎧 Listen Now: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-what/id1828005485 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MbAB2rFGYnUijWehLtN4C 💬 Let's Stay Connected: 🌐 https://motivatewithmelis.com 📩 info@motivatewithmelis.com 📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motivatewithmelis ✨ And Remember… Midlife isn't a crisis — it's a plot twist. xoxo melis
#61
March 26 · 30 min
(#61) Why NOT Me? - with Elle Casselman (Part 2 of 2)
SQUAD! In Part 2 of this conversation, digital creator and athlete Elle Cassellman shares what happens when you decide to dream bigger than the plan you originally had for your life. From getting into UCLA after being told she never would… to building confidence through faith, consistency, and bold action… this episode is about showing up even when nothing feels guaranteed. In this episode, they talk about: • chasing purpose • creating impact through content • taking risks — like walking into a Baywatch audition without registration • trusting that imperfect progress can still lead somewhere powerful Because reinvention doesn't have an age requirement. and remember, midlife isn't a crisis, it's a plot twist. xoxo melis 🏃‍♀️ Elle's LA Marathon Training Partner Elle is training with Endorphins Running. Use code ELLE for training plans and support. 📲 CONNECT WITH ELLE Instagram: @elleevancasselman 💌 CONNECT WITH MELIS Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: Melissa Murphy Now What Podcast Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com
#60
March 19 · 45 min
(#60) She Bet on Herself at 21 — Reinvention Starts Early - with Elle Casselman (Part 1 of 2)
Nobody talks about reinvention starting this early. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Melis sits down with digital creator and lifelong athlete Elle Cassellman — someone she has known since Elle was a teenager, and who is now boldly carving her own path at just 21. From navigating COVID during high school to rediscovering purpose through running, transferring colleges against the norm, and training alone before sunrise, Elle shares what it really looks like to bet on yourself before the world expects you to. This episode is about discipline. It's about courage. It's about choosing growth over comfort — even when it feels lonely. And just when Elle begins creating a life she loves… an unexpected opportunity changes everything. Part 2 drops next week. Because reinvention isn't reserved for midlife. Sometimes the plot twist begins at 21. 📲 Connect with Elle Instagram: @elleevancasselman 💌 Connect with Melis Instagram: @motivatewithmelis YouTube: Melissa Murphy Now What Podcast Email: info@motivatewithmelis.com Website: https://motivatewithmelis.com

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