S3:E1 - On Introducing Sex, Money and Power

This season, we're diving into one theme through a variety of lenses. Over the course of Season 3 we will explore the ideas of Sex, Money and Power and how they influence and shape our stories of sexual self discovery.

For conversation starters that will take you deeper in your own journey, visit lingerboutique.com. Wait for the pop-up or scroll to the bottom to sign up for our newsletter.

If you’d like to share your story of sexual self discovery, please email us at stories@lifeturnedonpodcast.com.

Follow us on Instagram:

@lifeturnedonpodcast
@linger.u
@lingerbtq 

Let’s normalize rest and pleasure together. Please consider shopping at Linger Boutique next time you’re looking for lingerie or sexual wellness items. www.lingerboutique.com

Transcript

Season 3 Intro

[00:00:00] 

Hi friends. Welcome back to life. Turned on stories of sexual self-discovery in midlife and beyond. I'm Shauna Stewart, your host, and I'm absolutely thrilled to have you here with me as we kick off season three. This season, we're going to be diving into a specific theme that I believe really holds incredible power and significance in our lives. 

And especially our sex lives. Many of our conversations in the past, too. Seasons have been pretty organic in nature, which I have absolutely loved. I've really enjoyed getting to know all of our guests on a really intimate, personal level on whatever topic they were really interested in talking about. This season, we're going to do the same, but we're going to really hone in on this theme. Which is sex, money and power. These are [00:01:00] three potent forces that intersect in fascinating, sometimes challenging ways. 

And they can have a profound impact on our personal journeys of sexual self-discovery. Especially as we navigate midlife and beyond. So why are we focusing on sex, money and power? Well, first of all, I'm super interested in it. I personally find these ideas intriguing and have been exploring these ideas in the context of my own life, my own relationship. My own sexual self discovery journey. 

And I thought it would be really fun to do it with you as well. Secondly, each of these elements, sex money and power can really individually shape our lives in profound ways. They influence how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, how we move through the world. But when they intersect the dynamics become even more complex and I'd argue because I [00:02:00] love complex nuanced things. Even more interesting. These forces can be sources of immense pleasure, fulfillment, and empowerment. But they can also be sources of tension, conflict, and even shame. 

So we're going to get to explore and get to all of that. In this season. We live in a society where these topics are. . And wrapped in layers of taboo, secrecy, and misunderstanding. Yet they play crucial roles in our lives. Understanding how sex money and power interact. Can really open up new avenues for personal growth, deeper connections, and a more profound sense of self. So in today's episode, our first episode of season three, I just want to take some time to really dive into why these themes are so essential to explore. As part of our sexual self discovery journeys, especially in midlife. 

We'll talk [00:03:00] about how these forces in our sect, the ways they can uplift or hinder us and what it means to confront and embrace them as part of our ongoing journey of self discovery. And of course, I'll also be sharing a bit of what you can expect from the rest of the season. 

Spoiler alert. It's going to be rich in varied conversations, and you're not going to want to miss it.

So let's start with this idea of sex. Okay. So as we know, sex is not just about physical intimacy. It's also about identity, connection, power, and pleasure. For many of us, our relationship with sex evolves over time, especially as we enter midlife, especially for those of us in midlife and beyond. Our generations are growing, grew up with very different values than. And expectations then the current generations are growing up with.

So let's start with sex. 

[00:04:00] As we know, it's not just about physical intimacy. It's also about identity, connection, power, and pleasure. For many of us, our relationship with sex evolves over time, especially as we enter midlife and things start to change, and we have life to look back on life, to look forward to. This phase of life often brings a new awareness to our bodies, our desires and our boundaries. We may find yourselves kind of reassessing what we want from our sexual experiences. And really figuring out what role sex really plays in our lives. We may might be moving away from performance or scripted sex into something that's more. Deeply personal, intimate and authentic to each of, to our individual selves. But here's the thing. Sex doesn't exist in a vacuum it's deeply, deeply influenced by other factors in our lives, [00:05:00] including our relationship with money and power. For example. How many of us have found that financial stress. Can impact our desire for intimacy. 

If we're stressed out about work, if we're going to keep our job, lose our job, pay our bills. That's going to have an impact on our libido. Or that power dynamics in relationship can either enhance or hinder our sexual connection. I think we're in this really unique timeframe in our culture and lives where we're reading, negotiating, what relationships look like, what we expect of each other, how power is shared between two or more people. 

And I think that creates a really lively. And interesting. Playground to explore. So this also brings us to money. Money is another force that plays a crucial role in our lives. And often we don't immediately recognize it. It can be a source of [00:06:00] security, freedom and pleasure. If we have it. Or if we feel good that we have it, but it can also be a source of anxiety, conflict, and even shame. 

And all of these things, both the positive and negative emotions. These can happen, whether you have tons of money or not much money at all. Our financial realities can really shape our opportunities, our choices, and our cents worth. They can also influence our sexual lives in very significant ways. 

Just think about it. How does your financial situation impact your sense of sexual freedom or security? How do the financial dynamics in your relationships, whether you're in a partnership where you share finances, or maybe you're navigating the complexity of finances on your own. How does this affect your own sexual self-expression? He's a really important questions that we don't always take the [00:07:00] time to ask or think about. But they can reveal a lot about how we relate to money and sex. And then there's a third of the Trifacta and that is power. Power is often the most elusive complex of these three forces. It's not just about who has control in a relationship or a situation. It's also about how we perceive ourselves, how we assert our needs and desires and how we navigate the world. Power dynamics are everywhere in our relationships, in our careers, in our interactions with society at large, but they're often unseen and sometimes they can be so invisible. 

We can. Feel that maybe something's off or we can feel that something's really on, but we don't quite know what that is. They can either empower us or leave us feeling disempowered and this in turn. Can affect our [00:08:00] sexual self discovery, what we're learning about ourselves and our relationships with others.

One of the things that we're going to be exploring this season is how reclaiming our sexual power, whether that's through self-expression boundary setting, or embracing our desires. Can be a transformative experience. When we step into our power. We not only changed the way we experienced sex, but we also changed the way we experience life. So how do these themes, sex, money, and power come together to influence our personal journeys of self discovery. The truth is I believe they're deeply connected. When we start to peel back the layers, we often find that our beliefs, fears and desires around one of these themes is ultimately tied to one of the others or both. For example, if we can talk about the intersection of sex and power for a moment. [00:09:00] In many ways our sexual experiences can either reinforce or challenge our sense of power.

Have you ever felt like a surge of empowerment after a sexual experience where you felt fully embraced in your desires? Or conversely, have you ever felt really disempowered by a sexual experience where your needs weren't met or boundaries were crossed? These experiences are super powerful and they shaped the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Similarly money and power are inextricably linked. Because our financial situation can influence our sense of power in a relationship or in a society. If we feel financially secure, we might feel more confident and assertive in other areas of our lives, including our sex, sexual lives.

But if we're struggling financially, it can lead to feelings of powerlessness that seep into [00:10:00] other areas, including our relationships and our sexual experiences. And of course. Sex and money intersect in many ways as well. From the pressures of keeping up with societal expectations, to the choices we make about our bodies and our relationships. Money can play a significant role in our sexual self-discovery. For example. The ability to access resources that support sexual health and wellness, whether that's therapy, education, or even products. Often depends on our financial situation. As we explore these themes, this season, we're going to be hearing from a diverse group of guests who will bring their own unique perspectives and experiences to the table. 

This is one of the things I love about these conversations on this podcast. So much. We're going to be having conversations that really get into the nooks and crannies of these topics. Sometimes diving [00:11:00] into more of the darker spaces of these topics, more of the challenging aspects. And other times we're going to be celebrating the positive and uplifting ways.

And other times celebrating the positive and uplifting ways. 

These forces can really enhance our lives in meaningful ways. For example, we're going to be talking to somebody who grew up in a high control religious environment. I'm going to talk about how that impacted her relationship with sex money and power. As she entered adulthood. We'll also be exploring topics like how financial independence can change the dynamics of a long-term relationship or how embracing what some might consider quote, unquote taboo desires can actually lead to profound healing and self discovery. 

But this season, isn't just about the stories we'll be hearing. It's about how you can engage with these themes in your own life. [00:12:00] That's why I'm inviting you to sign up for our email lists this season. When you join. You're going to receive exclusive conversation starters based on each episode. Maybe it's a question. Maybe it's a question to discuss with your partner over dinner or a prompt for journaling, or even just a thought to ponder as you go about the day. But the goal here. Is to keep the conversation going. 

I've invited this over the last couple of seasons in a more casual way. And this season we're going to do so much more intentionally. But I want you to keep the conversation going and really encourage you to explore these themes in your own life so that they may help you really discover new insights and perspectives about yourself. 

And maybe even your partner, if you have one along the way, So to join our email list, I want you to go to visit.

So to join our email [00:13:00] list, you can visit linger boutique.com and you can either wait for the little pop-up. Or scroll to the bottom and sign up for our newsletter there. Linger boutique. If you don't already know, is the laundry and sexual wellness boutique. I founded. With the mission of normalizing rest and pleasure. And I have had the privilege of connecting with so many of my listeners through this boutique, whether it's been on our brick and mortar. Whether it's been at our brick and mortar, which is located in Olympia Washington or through instant messaging or our website. We have just had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people and hearing your own stories in slightly different formats. But we gladly shipped through our online store and we also offer digital workshops and we have a lot more coming soon. Including some very special retreats. 

So more on that later. Anyway. Okay. So I'll say it again. Go [00:14:00] to linger boutique.com to get conversation starters emailed to you each week. That are going to be directly tied to each episode.

As we move through the season, I really want to encourage you to approach these topics with. Okay. So as we move through the season as always, I just really want to encourage you to approach these topics with an open mind and a curious heart. Some of what we're going to discuss, may challenge your existing beliefs or push you out of your comfort zone and that's oh, okay. Growth often happens in those uncomfortable spaces. 

We know this. But we're the spaces where we're invited to confront our assumptions and reconsider. Our perspectives really is a really special spot for so much delicious discovery. This has been part. This has been perhaps one of the most important [00:15:00] elements of my own journey for the past several years and would really love to invite you to do the same. At the same time. 

Of course, I want to remind you that this journey of self discovery is deeply personal. What resonates with one person might not resonate with another and that's perfectly fine. The goal isn't for us all to arrive at a single truth or to know what's right and wrong. But rather for us all, to be able to explore many different ways that sex, money, and power. Can shape our lives and our understanding of ourselves. I am so excited for what's to come this season. 

We're going to be having some incredible conversations, exploring new ideas, and I hope sparking some powerful moments of self research. Of self reflection and discovery for you. Before I wrap up today, I want to invite you once again.

All right. [00:16:00] So we're almost done here, but I just want to express how excited I am for what's to come this season. We are going to be having some incredible conversations. I've already recorded some of them and they absolutely blew my mind. We're going to be exploring new ideas, and I hope we're going to be sparking some really powerful moments of self reflection and discovery for you and maybe those in your circle as well. But before I wrap up today, I want to, once again, invite you to sign up for our email list. 

Not only will you get access to those exclusive conversation starters. But you're also going to be the first to know about new episodes, special events, again, retreats and other exciting updates. And you can sign up by heading over to linger boutique.com or clicking the link in the show notes. We'll have that available for you there. Thank you so much for joining me today and for being a part of this incredible community, it just [00:17:00] tickles me so much. That so many of you keep showing up here and stopping me in stores on the side of the street or coming into my shop to chat. Or being in our DMS, it just means the world to me. I can't wait to dive into these topics with you this season. 

And until next time, remember to stay curious, stay open and let's keep turning life on. Bye.