What if the secret to a stronger relationship is not fewer connections, but better communication, clearer boundaries, and zero pretending? Kimberly joins Elizabeth and Erin for a candid, surprisingly practical conversation about ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, jealousy, and what it really takes to make an open relationship work.

Elizabeth and Erin do not hold back, and Kimberly shares the story of how she and her husband moved from monogamy to non-monogamy after years of marriage, what changed when they stopped treating love like a scarcity game, and why jumping in without research can get messy fast. If you have ever wondered how polyamory actually works in real life, this episode pulls back the curtain without the gloss.

You'll discover:

• The real difference between ethical non-monogamy, swinging, and polyamory
• Why “kitchen table polyamory” and the idea of a polycule matter
• How jealousy shows up even in healthy open relationships, and how to work through it
• Why therapy, boundaries, and open communication are non-negotiable
• What happens when one partner feels pressured, and why consent changes everything

Kimberly also gets honest about the social fallout of being open, the reactions from family and church communities, and why some of the biggest misunderstandings about open relationships come from assuming it is just cheating with a nicer name. Erin and Elizabeth explore tough questions about hierarchy, commitment, attraction, and whether marriage itself changes the dynamic.

This conversation matters because non-monogamy is more common than most people think, but the stakes are high when curiosity turns into pressure, secrecy, or resentment. Whether you are polyamorous, monogamous, or just trying to understand a relationship style you have never lived, this episode offers a rare mix of honesty, nuance, and real-world insight.

Essential listening if you want a stigma-free look at a relationship model that many people judge before they understand. If you are curious, skeptical, or considering how to talk to your partner about it, this episode gives you the language and perspective to start that conversation.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

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The advice women get about being "too old" is often just ageism wearing a stylish outfit. Elizabeth and Erin unpack the sneaky double standards behind what women are told they can no longer wear, do, or want, and make a case for something more radical: deciding for yourself.

From crop tops, bikinis, mini skirts, and blue eyeshadow to nightclubs, roommates, going back to school, and sex in midlife, this conversation gets honest about where age really matters - and where it's just social conditioning talking. If you've ever felt judged for looking vibrant, dressing boldly, wanting intimacy, or refusing to fade into the background, this episode will hit home.

You'll hear Elizabeth and Erin break down the difference between "that's not for me" and "you're too old for that," why women are policed far more harshly than men, and how current trends, personal style, and self-confidence all change the equation. They also get real about the physical realities of midlife - painful sex, vaginal dryness, ED, energy levels, and the work it takes to stay healthy and active.

Erin shares why she believes women are not milk cartons, why intimacy should still be on the table, and why a partner's refusal to take their health seriously can become a deal-breaker. Elizabeth brings the perspective of choosing what she no longer wants based on wisdom, not shame, while celebrating women who wear what they love and live out loud.

The bigger question underneath all of it: are you actually too old for something, or just no longer willing to tolerate it? Perfect for anyone navigating midlife, reinvention, body confidence, or the pressure to become smaller with age.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

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Perimenopause can unmask health issues you thought were under control—and for Erin and Elizabeth, it’s been a wake-up call. If you’ve ever felt like your body suddenly stopped cooperating in midlife, this conversation may feel familiar, validating, and practical.Erin and Elizabeth share their experiences living with chronic and autoimmune conditions, and how hormone shifts in perimenopause and menopause can intensify symptoms that were once manageable. They talk about the reality of navigating complex health challenges while learning to listen to their bodies and adjust their expectations.

In this conversation, they explore:

• Why midlife can make chronic symptoms harder to ignore
• How to tell the difference between pushing through and overdrawn energy, including ideas like spoon theory and energy budgeting
• How stress, guilt, and people-pleasing can affect wellbeing—and why boundaries matter
• Shifting from trying to “fix” themselves toward focusing on rest, movement, regulation, and acceptance
• The value of supportive clinicians and finding approaches that work for your individual needs

This episode is an honest conversation about chronic illness, perimenopause, and the exhaustion of trying to hold everything together while your body is asking for something different. Erin and Elizabeth make a powerful case for listening sooner, resting sooner, and believing yourself sooner.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

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Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

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The biggest surprises in your 50s have nothing to do with slowing down. They have to do with finally wanting more—more adventure, more honesty, more laughter, and way less tolerance for the life you were told to settle for.

Elizabeth and Erin get real about what actually changes in midlife: why the dream of a cozy, stay-at-home “trad wife era” can morph into a craving for exploration, why some women suddenly feel pulled toward a completely different life, and why being “figured out” might be the biggest myth of adulthood.

You’ll hear them break down:

• Why midlife can feel more liberating than settling
• How curiosity becomes a superpower when you stop needing all the answers
• Why house perfection, decor pressure, and being “embarrassed” start to matter a lot less
• What it means to choose yourself without apologizing for it
• Why friendships, strong bones, health, and mobility become non-negotiable
• How fight-or-flight shows up in the body, and what it looks like to finally feel safe there again

They also get into the uncomfortable but honest realities of changing priorities in marriage and family, the pressure to please everyone, and the freedom that comes from realizing most people are too busy thinking about themselves to judge yours.

If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “I thought I’d be calmer by now,” this episode is for you. It’s funny, candid, a little rebellious, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating the wild reset that can happen in your 50s.

Perfect for anyone craving a midlife wake-up call, a little permission to want more, and a reminder that the second half can be the most alive you’ve ever felt.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

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Thinking about leaving corporate but worried about the money? Erin and Elizabeth talk with Shannon Baird, a corporate exit strategist and founder of The Clean Exit. She helps burned-out corporate women replace their income with a simple service-based business before they leave their jobs.

Shannon shares how a Valentine's Day layoff after 11 years in corporate marketing led her to stop and ask what she actually wanted.

They cover:

• Why the layoff wasn't the real problem, and what it revealed

• "Socially transmitted diseases": the "shoulds" and beliefs we absorb without noticing
• How to find your freedom number, the bare minimum you need each month, and how it differs from savings
• Why burnout is your body's last signal, and why a steady nervous system matters when you plan a change
• Why freelancing is a good first offer, and what portfolio careers and part-time arrangements can look like
• Why you don't have to burn your life down. You can get back in touch with who you were before the conditioning
• Why your "why" doesn't have to be grand

Find Shannon on Substack (Shannonbaird.substack.com), where she also links her quiz, "What did corporate force you to abandon?" Be sure to follow the show for new episodes each week.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

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• Why daily check-ins can keep adult kids dependent instead of confident
• How to answer with questions instead of advice when they call in crisis
• The difference between support, enabling, and codependence
• Why Gen Z’s priorities around self-care, authenticity, and agency change the parenting playbook
• How to avoid becoming the parent who emails professors, bosses, or partners on behalf of a grown child

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@EstrogenDropouts

What if the thing called "decentering your husband" is really about reclaiming yourself - without blowing up your marriage? Erin and Elizabeth get honest about the midlife shift so many women feel but rarely say out loud: the moment the emotional load, household management, and constant caregiving start to feel heavier than they should.

They unpack why this conversation hits especially hard in your 40s and 50s, when empty nesting, hormones, and years of people-pleasing collide all at once. From girls' trips and meal prep to the invisible work of keeping the whole house running, they explore how women often carry the family’s feelings, schedules, and stress - and what happens when that pattern finally breaks.

You'll discover:

• Why "decentering" is less about abandoning your spouse and more about creating a healthier balance in the marriage
• How emotional labor shows up in everyday moments, from stress at home to tiny resentments that build over time
• Why radical honesty can feel uncomfortable at first, but may actually deepen connection
• How recentering yourself through friendships, hobbies, and personal space can change your marriage for the better

Erin shares the difference between the "maiden," "mother," and "crone" phases of life, and why the final one may be the most freeing of all. Elizabeth opens up about reaching her own breaking point, wanting less responsibility, and realizing she does not want this to be "just a phase" she waits out.

They also dig into friendship, identity, and the danger of making your spouse your entire world. From Esther Perel’s ideas about intimacy and mystery to the reality that women often outlive men, this conversation makes the case for building a life that is bigger than marriage - while still honoring it.

Essential listening if you’re navigating midlife, empty nesting, marriage, or simply wondering how to stop carrying everything for everyone else. This episode is a candid, funny, and surprisingly hopeful reminder that growth can feel like discomfort before it feels like freedom.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@EstrogenDropouts

Too old to change careers? Chantal proves that midlife can be the beginning of your most honest, profitable second act. After 40 years in quality management, she walks away from corporate certainty to reinvent herself as an aesthetician, and the path is messier, braver, and more surprising than anyone expects.

Elizabeth and Erin unpack the real emotional and financial stakes behind a midlife pivot, including the fear of leaving a steady paycheck, the pressure to stay in a role that looks impressive on paper, and the moment Chantal realizes that success without fulfillment is a warning sign, not a finish line. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start over, this conversation will hit home.

You’ll discover:

• Why Chantal chose to leave a 40-year corporate career in quality assurance
• The exact turning point that made her ask, "What would 80-year-old me thank me for?"
• Why beauty school, aesthetics, and even phlebotomy became part of her next chapter
• The hidden creativity inside analytical work, problem-solving, and regulation-heavy careers
• How she navigated rejection, self-doubt, and money fears without a perfect plan
• Why clarity, not certainty, is what finally unlocked momentum

Erin brings hard numbers into the conversation, sharing career pivot statistics that show just how common reinvention after 40 really is. Elizabeth adds the emotional lens around identity, judgment, and the courage it takes to stop living by someone else’s script. Together, they push past the fantasy that life should come with one perfect path and one final answer.

Chantal also opens up about what changed when she stopped performing having-it-all-together and started letting herself receive help, soften, and trust her own inner compass. From community and feminine wisdom to the science behind beauty, aging, and authenticity, this episode makes a bold case for why women in midlife are not done, they are just getting clearer.

Perfect for anyone craving a career change, a second act, or permission to build a life that feels as good as it looks.

Follow Erin and Elizabeth on social media:

TikTok account:

https://www.tiktok.com/@estrogen.dropouts?_t=ZT-8wTKvGNOQv5&_r=1

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/estrogendropouts?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@EstrogenDropouts