Cultivating Midlife Friendships: How to Create Joyful, Authentic Connections with Wendy Hutchinson

Today, we delve into the transformative journey of midlife friendships, exploring how these connections can enrich our lives as we grow and evolve. 

Years ago, I met Wendy Hutchinson online, a chance encounter that blossomed into a cherished friendship. Her journey as a quantum soul healer and author has been nothing short of inspiring, and in the latest episode, we unravel the intricate dance of midlife friendships and how these connections can be a source of reinvention and joy. 

Together, Wendy and I explore the serendipity of finding kindred spirits and the vital role intentional communication plays in cultivating these meaningful relationships.

Midlife is a time of transformation, and our bonds must evolve alongside us. Whether it's a spontaneous meeting in Texas or a reconnection with someone online, genuine interactions hold the power to redefine our sense of community and support. 

We discuss:

• the necessity of setting boundaries 
• reshaping our understanding of relationships
• the power of self-discovery and authenticity
• nurturing the connections that truly resonate with our personal growth journey

By honoring our personal journeys and building a supportive tribe, we can transform midlife into a period of new beginnings, where friendships illuminate the path to a more fulfilling life.

Connect with Wendy:

Website: alinealifecoaching.com
Instagram: @mamahutch47

Mentioned in the Episode:

Magic Mind: Give Magic Mind mental performance shots a try. Go to magicmind.com/rebels to save up to 40% off of your first subscription or 20% off a one-time order. Use code REBELS20 at checkout.

Prior episode: Celebrating Midlife & Menopause Transitions: Rediscovering Self Through Women’s Empowerment Ceremonies with Angie Litvinoff

Podcast Recommendation: Looking for inspiration about how to thrive as you age? Listen to Boomer Banter: Real Talk about Aging Well with Wendy Green. 

Kick your midlife fears and uncertainty to the curb and start your Reinvention Rebels journey today. Learn about my audio program, Midlife Reinvention From The Inside Out: 8 Essentials to Greenlight Your Life.

Chapters

• 0:00 Building Midlife Friendships
• 6:25 Nurturing Friendships in Midlife
• 13:10 Embracing Midlife Authenticity and Connections

Transcript

00:00 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
if your friends aren't aligned with the direction you're going. A lot of times they don't last and sometimes there's a mourning and a grieving when you let friends go. But you also have to realize it's a gift because as that person fades you're going to find somebody with more synergy and maybe more coherence and alignment with the direction you're going. 

00:30 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Welcome to Reinvention Rebels stories of brave and unapologetic women, 50 to 90 years young, who have boldly reinvented life on their own terms to find new purpose and possibilities. I'm your host, wendy Battles. I need to kick your fears to the curb, do it scared and step into who you are meant to be in midlife and beyond. These amazing women, these reinvention rebels, can help light your reinvention path. Come join us and let's get inspired together. Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of the Reinvention Rebels podcast. I am your host, wendy. 

01:22
I am so excited that you are here and I'm just thinking a lot about midlife friendships, how we meet new friends, how we connect with people, how we build our community in midlife. 

01:39
I feel like this is such a great follow up to October, which was Menopause Awareness Month, which is all about us going through transitions and figuring things out and sometimes shifting our mindset to be more open to what's possible, perhaps changing the narrative that we might have had about what menopause means. 

01:58
And it's so aligned with this idea of community that in midlife we often need to build our community. Sometimes our community is starting to shrink. People we love are dying, people are getting divorced, we're leaving jobs. I mean, there's so many transitions in midlife and I really feel like it's so key to find our people, to find our people wherever they are, however we find them. So I got really inspired because a couple of weeks ago, I was in Texas for a conference and I reached out to a really great friend who I'd never actually met in person, my friend Wendy, who I'm going to introduce you to in just a moment and we met for the first time and it was magical Just this idea of finding this person that you have this deep connection with, even if you haven't even met before, and then solidifying it in person. 

02:48
So today we are talking midlife friendships. How do we form them? How do we find our people? What do we do if we feel isolated but we want to build our community, and how do we just lean into that in new and interesting ways? So let me tell you a little bit about Wendy. Wendy was actually on the podcast before and she is rejoining me in the Reinvention Rebels guest chair. 

03:25
Wendy Hutchinson is a quantum soul healer and published author of Finding the Path of Me Awakening to, remembering who I Am and why I Am here. I just love that title alone because so many of us at this time were searching, trying to find our true, authentic selves, and Wendy is so herself. As you'll hear, her mission is to help people heal and energetically align with their highest self, to find clarity, alignment and purpose in their lives. I mean, how can that not resonate with you, and I think so many of us are in that space? We're trying to find that amazing self of ours. Her podcast, the Path of Me, features guests from all walks of life who are living true to their authentic selves and inspiring others to do the same through their passion and work, and I've been honored to be a twice guest on this amazing, insightful and beautiful podcast. So I'm so excited for this conversation with Wendy. My namesake, Wendy Hutchinson. Welcome back to the Reinvention Rebels guest chair. 

04:36 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I'm so honored to be here. Wendy, Thank you for having me back on the show. 

04:40 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It's been a while, wendy, and so much has happened since you were on the show before which I'm so tickled pink about, including the fact that we actually met in person for the first time, which was just fantastic. So today we're talking about midlife friendships, and I feel like our friendship is such a great example of what is possible. Do you remember how we actually met for the first time? You know, online? Do you even recall how that happens? 

05:12 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I honestly do not recall, but I'm guessing that I must have messaged you or something, because you kept popping up on my feed on social media or something. I mean, that is a possibility, but honestly it's been a while, so I don't really remember exactly how it went down Me either. 

05:33 - Wendy Battles (Host)
But I think you might be right, because I don't think I knew you before then and what I think is so interesting is that we can never have met people before but form a connection with them, have this like instant connection. And I thought about that when we actually did meet, when you said, would you come be on my podcast and we had this interview and I just felt like I'd known you for a long time. 

05:59 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
That happens a lot. I think people's names kind of present to me and they kind of pop out like a pop-up book, you know, their profile pops out or there's something energetic about it and then if we're meant to meet, it works out, and then there's a connection and a good vibe and and I think we're both really intentional about keeping in touch. So that's huge and I'm just so grateful. It's been wonderful and it was the best. Best. 

06:27 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Best Was it not oh my gosh, me too. That was so fun. That was so fun and y'all. The backstory of that is that I was going to I think I mentioned in the intro I was going to Texas for this conference and I just on a whim one day either texted or emailed Wendy and said, hey, how far away is Houston from San Antonio? 

06:55
And you were like it's actually, it's like three hours, it's not that far. I mean, in Texas terms it's not that far. And you're like I'll drive up or whatever direction it is, I'll drive and I'll meet you. And, oh my gosh, talk about a great time. And what I thought was so interesting both you know just this digital relationship we formed, or you know, via social media and then talking on the phone or through direct messages on Instagram and then meeting in person. It was the same level of knowingness and comfort, just like all the other ways we communicate, but better because I got to see you in person and hug you and talk for hours and, you know, talk about our lives, and I just I really treasure that. 

07:36 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
Definitely. But I think it boils down to actually having a mutual interest in maintaining the friendship and connection, because I think so many people take friends for granted and the friends are always put at the bottom of the list. So if you have a work event and you had plans with a friend, I don't think you would cancel the work event and say, hey, I have plans. You, the the friend is, is always kind of put at the bottom of the list after family work. You know, people have different priorities on how they spend their time or how they connect or reach out, and I think there's a complacency sometimes between friends and I try to be very intentional about maintaining contact and relationship and checking in, and it's great when it's reciprocated too. So that was the case for us, which allowed our friendship to flourish, and I'm so grateful. 

08:28 - Wendy Battles (Host)
So grateful for you. Yeah, likewise I feel the same way. I feel very grateful and I think you're right about the intentionality of friendship, because you know we all have had friends that you know they say that some of your friends are friends for a season. You know we all have friends that have been maybe lifetime friends or from grade school or high school or college, and then other friends that we meet and you know, for whatever reason, people move away or have babies or et cetera, and you just can't maintain that same level of connection. But it does take effort and I think that's it Like. How do we want to invest our time to your point about this intentionality and reciprocity. 

09:06 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
Not only intention, but I think also we're constantly evolving and we're constantly changing throughout life. We're going through different seasons, we're going through different experiences. We are very, very fluid in how we are managing our lives and spending our time and our priorities. And so if your friends aren't aligned with the direction you're going, a lot of times they don't last and sometimes there's a mourning and a grieving when you let friends go. But you also have to realize it's a gift, because as that person fades, you're going to find somebody with more synergy and maybe more coherence and alignment with the direction you're going, right. Yeah Well, I've found that I've lost a lot of friends along the way, and also some of these older friendships were made when I was the very unhealed version of me. 

10:03
Okay, so that means I will give and give and give and expect nothing in return. So I was always I will do more for you and I didn't feel worthy of receiving for myself. So you know I had to really prioritize my well being and my mental health and what felt aligned for me in friendships and then get really intentional about letting go of those who were not meeting those criteria. And it wasn't like there was anything wrong. They're still beautiful people. But we were in an unhealthy dynamic because of who I was when we met and formed the friendship and you know those patterns and grooves are so deep. It's hard to come out with boundaries a little bit later and then say, you know, now you need to actually meet me halfway you meeting them 100%, and they never come halfway. 

10:59
So you know we're clear about what's important to us and how we are actually looking at those. You know those things that honor us and respect our time and our needs, and you know what's important to us. 

11:14 - Wendy Battles (Host)
So true, and I really like your point about how, right now, you're totally different than you were five years ago, ten years ago, you have different needs, that we're all on this journey Not to say that we're all evolving, because I guess we evolve if we want to evolve, but that when we decide that's important for us, that sometimes we do need to let people go or we don't just have that same connection that we used to have, Maybe we bonded over something else years ago and now we're different people, which is true, I think, of any relationship that we have, whether it's a girlfriend or a spouse or a cousin. Sometimes we're really tight and then over time we may grow apart as our needs change. So I really like how you kind of put that in context. One of the things I'm thinking about is that in midlife, as we change and we transition about, is that in midlife, as we change and we transition and obviously we have our bodily changes that happen in addition to, you know, mental, emotional changes over time, all kinds of things happening, and then just you know, when it become an empty nester or we're caring for our parents and they pass away, I mean, there's just so much coming at us, as I know you know, oh so well, and I think that because of that plus also the pandemic was a dynamic too so many people started to feel so isolated I can't get together with people the way I used to. 

12:33
Or maybe after the pandemic people changed their idea of what it means to be in community or to get together or to be friends. I mean so many things changed. So I'm really curious, Wendy, as someone who has these really deep friendships in midlife and is open to meeting new people that really feed your soul and who you are. I'm really curious about any ideas you have for how midlife women or anyone really can make these new connections with people that feel like they're part of our tribe. Like you and me, we have this great connection. How do we go about finding more of the people that can align with who we are as we're evolving in midlife? 

13:19 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I think we need to find ourselves first. If we don't know who we are, are, then it's like throwing paint on the wall to try and find a friend that's aligned right. If we are always chameleon chameleons, you know, and changing to meet the expectations and needs of other people we're never really going to find that aligned friend or create intimacy, because it's based on an inauthentic version of ourselves, which is kind of the opposite of what your question was. But I felt that was important to say that we really need to know ourselves first to create really deep and meaningful relationships. 

14:00
And speaking to that, when you are actually engaging in activities that really light you up you gravitate to maybe the art class or you go and play pickleball, or you have to actually make an effort. You have to go out and join things. You have to make an effort to connect and be vulnerable and say hey, wendy Battles, I think you're doing a great job on your podcast, would you like to connect? You have to be a little vulnerable and put yourself out there sometimes, but definitely it involves getting out there and putting yourself out there and joining activities or doing a meetup. There's so many beautiful ways to connect now because the internet makes it so easy. 

14:44 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It really does. And I completely agree with you about this idea of openness and curiosity, leaning into those things that light us up as a path toward finding our people. And you're so right also, wendy, about this idea of we have to know ourselves. That is really, to me, the essence of it. I am awakening to myself in new ways, I am digging deep, I'm uncovering things, I'm finding more of my authentic self, which is not to say was inauthentic before, but just doing the work, as you said, to uncover some of these things, which is sometimes hard. It's not always easy. Just doing the work, as you said, to uncover some of these things, which is sometimes hard. It's not always easy to do this work, but I do think it's meaningful. And you're right as we do more of that, we can more easily find our people. And you know what I think is interesting, wendy? Our discussion about friendship reminds me that this stage of life is really about nurturing ourselves. We spent so much time nurturing other people and I love nurturing myself through our friendship and many others that I formed, both nearby, in my local area, people online. You know so many different ways I've met people I really have this deep connection with even people that live in other countries. So I'm applying this nurturing to my body too, with products that are helping me navigate menopausal changes. 

16:13
I don't know about you, but brain fog has been a thing that has caught me off guard, and I've had some times where my menopausal brain was feeling pretty forgetful and less than sharp. Right it's like, oh my God, like you know, that fuzzy feeling. One thing that's really helped me is Magic Mind. It's a mental performance shot I drink with my coffee every morning. That helps me with calm, focused energy, a good for you game changer, full of all natural ingredients. 

16:44
You might even want to check it out, wendy, and all of you that are listening too, because you know, girl, this midlife thing is no joke. It's all about being proactive with every aspect of our lives, ourselves included, friendship, career, health. You get the idea. And, by the way, y'all, you can give Metric Mind a spin. You might want to give it a try if you're experiencing some of those midlife menopausal symptoms. And pretty cool, you can get 20% off when you use my special code REBELS20 at checkout, and I've put some details in the show notes about that. So, wendy, I know that I've had my fair share of midlife challenges, especially with as you know, I've been through it with aging parents and caregiving, with relationships, and you know we spend a lot of time, you and me, when we're together and on the phone talking about all of this, and you know how it is. Sometimes these things come up out of left field or sometimes they've been simmering for a while. What's one way you're seeing midlife challenges through a new lens and how are your friendships helping with that? 

17:53 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I think I'm looking at it more objectively and not so concerned about how I appear to others as I navigate the challenge. You know I'm not. I'm not trying to please people, I'm not trying to prove my worthiness through overgiving or over caring, or you know, I'm not chasing anything. I'm so comfortable in my own skin and I think the thing that is so unique about midlife and I think is so beautiful is women begin to really see themselves. They've raised the kids, they've been in the career, they've been through and navigated so much adversity in life we all have. 

18:40
If you get to midlife, you have experienced some intense things in your life and many of them we don't talk about. 

18:48
Right, we keep very close to our chest, but we become literally older and wiser and I believe that's why the elders in indigenous cultures were considered the sages and the wise ones and they were sought for answers. Because with age comes wisdom and it's so important that we honor our personal journeys, who we've become the fact that we're still standing is sometimes a miracle and really take the time to honor who you are and how you got here and all the challenges and disappointments you had to navigate to become this beautiful version of you right now and stop apologizing, stop diminishing yourself, stop selling yourself short. Find your voice, find your courage, find your tribe to support you. I took a long time to allow people in, to allow people to help me and support me and give to me and receive it with love and grace and gratitude, because I was always the giver. So that was a big pivot for me to be able to say I don't need to do this alone To be able to say I don't need to do this alone. 

20:05 - Wendy Battles (Host)
That's a huge change to be open, you know, to open yourself up and to ask for help. And I am right there with you in terms of honoring ourselves because we have done so much, we have come so far, we are stronger and braver than often we give ourselves credit for I think we tend to minimize ourselves. So I love this idea of honoring ourselves and it's so funny you should mention that because on the last Reinvention Rebels episode I interviewed this really fascinating woman. Her name is Angie Litvinoff and she lives in Britain and she does these soulful ceremonies for midlife women like takes them outside into nature to really honor themselves. So when you said honor, we need to honor ourselves. 

20:54
That's what I immediately thought of this idea of creating a ritual that says I have arrived, I am this amazing person and I recognize that in myself now. Maybe I haven't been able to see that before now, and there is something very empowering about recognizing for ourselves just how amazing we are. And I don't mean amazing like in a boastful way, like I'm so great, but you know just that internal feeling when you feel that. You feel that inside and it feels real for you and I think that there's something to be said for that. 

21:28
This season, the theme of the Reinvention Rebels podcast is Own your Awesome, and it's very aligned with what you're saying, because I feel like for me it's an evolving process. I'm learning how to own my awesome and every day I'm learning new things about myself, and there is something that's really gratifying about sort of stepping onto center stage of my life and acknowledging just how far I've come and how far I want to go. What's one thing that you would say about yourself, Wendy, that you love Like? What's one thing that makes you feel like you're owning your awesome? 

22:15 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I have to say, the one thing I love is that I always make choices that are aligned with my core values and my truth. 

22:18
I will always make the aligned choice, and a lot of times that comes at a price, you know, because you'll lose a friend, because you won't consistently do what they want you to do. Or I left my husband and I separated a year ago and so I lost the marriage. Because I need to stay aligned in my integrity, and I will, and that's really important to me because I'm not I haven't always been good at that in my past, so that has been very empowering for me to know that I'm worth it, that my values matter. My integrity is a core value and I am going to walk the talk, you know, and so I think that has been true soul sovereignty for me to allow me to fully, fully step into my power and not be influenced by the opinions of anyone. And when you are fully forward in your power, nobody has control over you. You can't be guilted or shamed or diminished or anything like that, because you know who you are. 

23:23 - Wendy Battles (Host)
That knowingness, knowing who we are and living in our integrity, that is so powerful to me and I just really appreciate that about you and I think because I'm also working on that and I have you as my role model for what that looks like because sometimes we need that kind of help right, we need to see what that looks like to stand in our power to, as you said, be fully formed, and I'm so appreciative I mean I'm appreciative of our friendship for so many reasons, but that's such a powerful one Because I remember thinking, wow, wendy just speaks her truth to all these people around her and I was so moved by that because I thought, well, I want to get better at that well, I want to get better at that and it takes a lot of courage. 

24:10 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
And also, I think sometimes we have to be very willing to do it in a kind way. There are people who speak their truth in a very hostile and unkind way and they hurt people's feelings and they're cutting people and they're diminishing people, and that is not who I am. I want to speak my truth with integrity and kindness and it's definitely possible if you're really mindful about it. So that's been. The hard part for me is to continue to do so in a very kind and compassionate way that sometimes people don't have the capacity to receive what we're saying or to receive the choice that we've made for ourselves, that they just can't seem to hold and digest because it's too difficult for them. It's been really interesting and definitely a process to get here, but I feel like part of my work is to really reflect back to my friends how beautiful they are and how powerful they are and how capable they are of really stepping into their own power and living in aligned life. Because when you can and do, everything changes Just the C's part. Everything changes Just the C's part. 

25:26
The struggle is just having the courage to do it, and then the C's part, and then you can walk through with grace and ease. It's difficult when you don't choose alignment because you end up in the wrong relationships, the wrong job, the wrong city that you live in, the wrong everything right. And so it's really difficult and not everybody is capable of it, and that's okay. Just go as far as you're able to go, and it's kind of like a muscle. You just keep working it and working it and eventually you're standing at the top of the mountain and you turn around and you extend a hand to help that next person up, which is your girlfriends, right? Or your tribe. 

26:10 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yes, yes. So I love this. We work on ourselves, we find our true selves, and then we can help other people also. And because I'm with you when you say being able to stand in my power in a kind way, yes, I 100% agree with that. We don't have to be mean to people to get our point across or to speak our truth. There's a way we can do it so that they also can hear us, because if we're just like a bull in a china shop, are they going to be able to hear what we're even saying? So the subtlety of it sometimes, the finesse of it, to be able to, you know, figure out how do I say these difficult things? 

26:45 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
And, as you know, like you're such a you're such a master at that, wendy, you have so much compassion. But we also have to realize in friendships, if you're a true friend, you also have to say some hard things. If you're a true friend, you have to tell the truth to your friend If you think they're going down a dark path or they're with a partner who doesn't treat them well. Or I think it's appropriate to say I love you and I see some patterns that you might want to look at because you're suffering. You're suffering a lot and they can choose to do that or not do that. But I think, as a friend, often we go no, that dress looks really good on you and it does not Right. 

27:29 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yes, I know I'm not in that, yeah. 

27:34 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
Oh my gosh, yes, that's such a petty example I've never said that to anyone. 

27:39 - Wendy Battles (Host)
But I know what you mean. I totally get what you're saying. I do, and you're right, because even this summer a good friend came and visited me and it was one of those pivotal moments where she told me some truths that were hard for me to hear and know. It is when people do that we don't really want to hear it. We're kind of like you know, but probably because we know it's really true and that person has a way of saying it, they can get our attention well, when you know it, then you have to do something. 

28:06
Right, right, yes, because it's always to be in denial. It's so easy to be in denial. So I I see how this idea of midlife friendships it can take so many different forms and there's so many ways we can be of service to others and they can be of service to us as we navigate some of these midlife challenges. So I just see the beauty in this. I see the beauty in forming these new friendships or rekindling. You know, sometimes you have a friend and you kind of grow apart, but then you come back together later on. I love that. You know the timing is right and you're just built at the right space for that. So I think that you know friendship can manifest in so many different ways. 

28:46 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
It's also not a numbers game. No, you don't need 500 best friends, you don't need 30 friends. I prefer to have really authentic connection with people. So for me, if. 

29:02
I have a small handful of people I can call and they're going to tell me you got this, you're going to be okay. What do you need? Tell me, you got this, you're gonna be okay. Yeah, what do you need? That's everything for you. My friends will call or text and or you know, I'll get a lot of texts that just say, hey, I'm thinking about you and I'm just sending love. I know this has been a hard year, you know, and that's sometimes worth its weight in gold, because we feel so alone when we're going through hard things. And that's what the beauty is of having these friendships is somebody will just reach out, and a lot of times it's at that moment when you're at your lowest and you're like I give up yeah, right exactly, and sometimes that one friend will just know I don't know how. 

29:53
It's, just like they just have this knowing. Yeah, I mean, I know I've done that for friends where I just have this like, hmm, I should text my girlfriend and and to be like, oh my god, I was just thinking about you, or you know it's, it's interesting it is but that's the beauty of having really authentic friendships and I'm grateful for every one of them, and they're all so different, right? 

30:19
Everybody's so different. You have your travel friend. You have your you know let's go deep into business and what I'm doing with the podcast friend, and then you have the friend that you know. 

30:31 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yes, exactly. 

30:33 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
And Antonio to see you. 

30:35 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Right, I know right. I mean, it's so true, we have so many different types. I love it yeah. 

30:43 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
And everyone's so beautiful, they're all so unique, and that's what I love about it and what I love about women is we have so much to offer. I think, organically we're just nurturing and organically we connect and we hold so much. Women hold so much. It helps to spread the weight of it and hand some of it off. Just a small piece for a friend to hold for a while. Yeah, so true, off, just a small piece for a friend to hold for a while. 

31:13
It's such a gift to have those connections and I'm grateful. I'm grateful for you, wendy. I'm grateful to all the people who are in my life that have really shown up for me this year, and even my kids, you know, now they're adults. You start to redefine those relationships and they become friends too. 

31:32 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yeah, it's like amazing how it can manifest in so many different ways. But I'm completely 100% with you, wendy. This has been just such a beautiful, beautiful friendship. I am just looking forward to continuing this with you and encouraging and supporting each other just through the travails of life, the ups and downs that we obviously all face. I do want to ask you as we're wrapping up I know we could go on and on for hours because you know us, we get together and we just can't stop talking but and you'll have to go back again, again but I do want to ask you where I'm sure people are listening and they're like oh my God, wendy is so cool and you mentioned she has a podcast and a book. Can you tell us more about where people can find you, where? 

32:16 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
is Wendy Hutchinson. The best place where everything is is on my website, so it's alinialifecoachingcom, it's A-L-I-N as in Nancy E-A lifecoachingcom and I have a workshop coming up in December. Clear your year. You can purchase the book, access my podcast, buy a Soul Power Oracle deck. If you need encouragement every day, pull a card. So that's kind of where everything is. It's my landing spot and I also have a newsletter, so check it out. I would love, love, love to connect with you. 

32:59 - Wendy Battles (Host)
All Love it. That's all going to be in the show notes so you can easily find Wendy and connect with her. You can see how wise she is. She is deeply wise and insightful about life just generally. So, wendy, I cannot thank you enough, my amazing friend. Thank you so much for coming and gracing me with your presence today and joining me in this conversation about midlife friendships and how we can lean into them more often and find our people. 

33:31 - Wendy Hutchinson (Guest)
I'm very grateful to you, wendy. Thanks for doing this. Thanks for inspiring women everywhere around the world with these incredible stories that you share on your podcast. It's so inspiring to me, you're so inspiring, and I can't wait to see what's next for us. 

33:49 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Me too, thank you. I hope you enjoyed this episode about midlife friendships with my dear, amazing friend, wendy Hutchinsoninson as much as I did. I just think that there are endless possibilities. As we grow into our truest selves, speak our truth, feel more confident and bold in being who we want to be, that our friendships can mirror. That we can find people that support us in our evolution, as Wendy is doing for me and many other people in my life that are just what I need right now, which is a different point in my life than even one or two years ago. So this idea that we can continue to grow ourselves and our friendships, I think, is so key to finding immense meaning in midlife. As we navigate, as y'all know, all these challenges, the ups and downs no one ever said it was going to be easy and there's joy. And then there are the challenges, right, like all caps the challenges. So our friendships. They make a difference. All caps the challenges, so our friendships. They make a difference. 

35:17
If you loved this episode, I want to encourage you to do me a quick favor. Leave me a review on apple podcast or spotify. Let me know what you loved, rate and review, because this content, I want it to be available for everyone. I want more people to be able to find it more easily, and reviews help with that. So thank you in advance. I really appreciate it. 

35:39
Two more quick mentions I always want to encourage you to listen to adjacent podcasts, podcasts that will help you grow and evolve in midlife, and one of my favorites is hosted by another Wendy, wendy Green. Her podcast is called Boomer Banter and it's about aging. Well, you know, there's aging we're all getting older but then there's aging well. There's aging with intention, vibrancy and purpose, and that's what Boomer Banter, this podcast, is all about. Wendy has the most engaging guests on her podcast. I'm going to put a link in the show notes. I would encourage you to take a listen to some of the great content that she is sharing and the amazing guests that she invites on. And, don't forget, check out Magic Mind y'all. It's a perfect opportunity to up your mental performance, feel more focused, tuned in, while also this amazing calm feeling. Details about that are in the show notes too. Until next time, Rebels, keep shining your light. The world needs you and all that you have to offer.