say YES to yourself! | Midlife Reinvention & Empowerment for Women
For Midlife Women Ready to Reclaim, Redefine, and Rise
This is the podcast for women in midlife who are ready to shed outdated cultural expectations, rewrite their stories, and finally put themselves first—without guilt or apology.
Each week on Say YES to Yourself!, host Wendy Harrop curates soulful, honest conversations with inspiring women who are courageously reinventing their lives. From career pivots and creative dreams to empty-nest awakenings and personal breakthroughs, you’ll hear real stories of transformation, healing, and joy.
If you're craving more meaning, more magic, and more you in your life—this podcast is your permission slip. Saying YES to yourself isn’t selfish—it’s the most generous, revolutionary act of your midlife.
Tune in and be reminded: your best chapter starts now.
say YES to yourself! | Midlife Reinvention & Empowerment for Women
Advocating for Yourself When Doctors Dismiss You | Cara Martin
Space to Dream Retreats: Whether you're craving rest, adventure, or soul-nourishing connection, there’s something beautiful waiting for you at the Phineas Wright House. Book your space to dream today.
Entertaining with Ease Series: Join Wendy in her kitchen as she shares the magic of how to host each of these magnificent holiday experiences for your loved ones. $47 each or purchase the bundle for $150.
Nov. 30: How to Host a Tree Trimming Party
Dec. 3: Holiday Food Gifts
Dec 10: How to Host a Cookie Exchange
Dec 17: How to Host a New Year's Eve Party
The Entertaining with Ease Bundle
Welcome to the Say YES to Yourself! Podcast—the show for midlife women, empty nesters, and anyone navigating life after divorce, burnout, or big transitions. If you're ready to shed cultural expectations, reconnect with your true self, and put your joy first—you’re in the right place.
In this episode, Wendy sits down with longtime friend Cara Martin, who shares her journey from mysterious symptoms dismissed as "just perimenopause" to a life-saving diagnosis of Cushing's disease caused by a pituitary tumor. After being told by multiple doctors she didn't "look sick enough," Cara advocated relentlessly for herself, sought multiple medical opinions, and ultimately found the right surgical team that performed the complex brain-adjacent surgery that saved her life.
They explore:
- How to trust your body and advocate for yourself when medical professionals dismiss your symptoms
- The practice of "the bare minimum" without apologizing, and why it's not weakness to ask for help
- Why hope comes in the morning, and how Cara's 5am practice became her lifeline through illness and recovery
This is a conversation about resilience, self-advocacy, and learning to say yes to yourself even when—especially when—your body is asking you to slow down. Press play and discover the power of trusting yourself above all else.
Connect with Cara:
Her Blog: Gayle Force(d) Wisdom
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PWH Farm Stays
PWH Curated France Trips
Podcast Production By Shannon Warner of Resonant Collective
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If this episode resonated, follow Say YES to Yourself! and leave a 5-star review—it helps more women in midlife discover the tools, stories, and community that make saying YES not only possible, but powerful.
