Starting 2026 with self-trust and protecting your peace might be the most radical thing you do this year. In this powerful episode about identity work for women over 40, I share why our deepest fear isn't inadequacy—it's actually that we're powerful beyond measure, and what that means for creating lasting change in midlife. If you've been struggling with nervous system regulation, feeling like you're constantly running from one thing to the next, or wondering how to build self-trust after years of self-abandoning, this episode is for you.

1. Your Deepest Fear Is Actually Your Greatest Power - Identity Work & Self-Trust Marianne Williamson wrote in A Return to Love: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." When you realize the enormity of your potential, it means questioning everything—the routines, relationships, and beliefs that built your current life. This is why personal transformation feels so scary: it requires dismantling what you've created to step into who you're becoming.

2. Protecting Your Peace Means Slowing Down & Nervous System Regulation Protecting your peace isn't just a phrase—it's about dropping into the present moment instead of spiraling through your to-do list. When you slow down and get conscientious about what you're doing (even packaging a box), you stop future-thinking, calm your nervous system, and actually do better work. This is the opposite of the dysregulated state we've normalized.

3. Internal Change Creates External Results Through Identity Work If you don't change on the inside, nothing lasting will change on the outside. How you see yourself internally shows up externally. This is why willpower doesn't work for midlife women—you can't sustain change that conflicts with your identity. My new Breakthrough Sessions focus on closing the gap between how you feel now and how you want to feel by shifting how you see yourself at the identity level.

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• [00:04] Welcome to 2026 and why this year feels different
• [14:00] Understanding what "protect your peace" really means
• [22:00] The power of slowing down and dropping into the moment
• [37:38] Why identity work is the key to lasting transformation
• [48:00] Marianne Williamson's quote: "Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"
• [56:00] What it means to have power beyond measure
• [66:00] Starting to see yourself differently and rocking the boat
• [80:00] The two words guiding 2026: calm certainty and self-trust
• [92:00] Ending self-abandonment and what that journey looks like