The Boomer Woman’s Podcast

Curiosity, Gratitude, and the Plot Twists of Life with Agnes, Solo

For the first time in years, Agnes Knowles takes the microphone solo. After dozens of conversations with remarkable people over 60, she reflects on the unexpected truth she keeps seeing: life doesn’t shrink as we age—it opens up in surprising ways. From senior-discount adventures to reinvention, curiosity, and gratitude, this episode is a thoughtful chat about embracing the plot twists that shape our later chapters.

• Why saying “yes” can open doors you didn’t expect
• The surprising freedom many people discover after retirement
• Plot twists: the mindset that helps us navigate life’s unexpected turns
• Curiosity as a possible “fountain of youth”
• Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on what actually matters
• The role of gratitude in shaping a positive outlook on life

Life doesn’t have one act—it has chapters, and every plot twist might just be the beginning of the next one.

Find more about Agnes and Boom With A Bang at https://boomwithabang.com/

 

Finding Mary Smith: A DNA Search Across Decades with Al Isaacs

What would you do if the story of your life suddenly changed at age fifty-two?

When Al Isaacs learned—almost accidentally—that he had been adopted through the “gray-market” adoption practices of the late 1960s, it set him on a journey through DNA testing, genealogy research, and long-buried family secrets that would ultimately reconnect him with his birth mother’s story.

In this episode:

• The moment a doctor casually revealed the truth about Al’s adoption
• Why his parents’ dementia made the search both urgent and complicated
• The surprising clue that helped him find his birth mother, a folk singer named Mary Smith
• How DNA testing is reshaping what “family secrets” even mean today
• Why some late-discovery adoptees feel their identity shattered—and why Al experienced it differently
• What people considering a search for their origins should understand before they begin

Sometimes the truth doesn’t arrive when we expect it—but when it finally does, it can change how we understand our entire story.

Find Al and his memoir at https://www.alisaacs.com/

Learn more about Al and find all his links at https://boomwithabang.com/the-boomer-womans-podcast-al-isaacs/

 

The Long Game of Change: Permanent Action After 50 with Stanley Bronstein

As he approached 50, Stanley Bronstein faced a sobering question: where would he be in five years if nothing changed? At nearly 367 pounds, he chose not surgery or shortcuts — but daily walking, nutritional shifts, and a decision to act permanently on what he already knew. What followed was not just weight loss, but the creation of a personal operating system for excellence.

In this episode:

• The turning point that led to a 220+ pound transformation

• Why “get started again” matters more than motivation

• The difference between perfection and excellence

• Why you can’t exercise your way out of a poor diet

• Expanding “intake” beyond food to thoughts and environment

• The powerful story behind the question: “What would Peggy do?”

Because sometimes the next chapter begins not with inspiration — but with a decision you refuse to undo.

Find Stanley at The Way of Excellence

Learn more about Stanley and find all his links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Stanley Bronstein

 

High on Life (Even When It’s Hard) with Lorie Kleiner Eckert

What if midlife isn’t about dramatic reinvention — but about noticing the wisdom tucked inside ordinary moments? In this conversation, Lorie shares stories from her book Chai on Life — from belly fat to Billy Joel — and reminds us that life may be difficult, but we can handle it.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why personal reinvention doesn’t require a dramatic overhaul

• The “one action a day” accountability log

• Moving from “horrible” to “handsome” in the mirror

• How to invite connection when loneliness creeps in

• Forgiveness — including forgiving yourself

• Why your life stories matter more than you think

Midlife may be full of transitions — but perhaps the joy really is in the journey.

Listen now and then share this episode!

Find Lorie at https://www.loriekleinereckert.com/

Learn more about Lorie and find all her links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Lorie Kleiner Eckert

Ready For a Walking Holiday? with Belinda Coker

You don’t have to be extreme to step into adventure. In this conversation, Belinda and I explore beginner-friendly trekking — from simple day walks to village-to-village “walking holidays” in Europe. If fear, gear, fitness, or safety have ever stopped you, this episode gently removes those barriers.

• How fit you really need to be to begin

• Why hiking with a “wingman” builds confidence

• Boots vs trail runners (and why fit matters more than brand)

• What actually belongs in a beginner daypack

• Why electronics can fail — and paper maps still matter

• Easier European village-to-village walking holidays

Sometimes the hardest step isn’t the incline — it’s simply deciding to go.

Find Belinda at https://soultreader.com/

Learn more about Belinda and find all her links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Belinda Coker

Visibility, Intuition, and the Courage to Be Seen with Monica Rivera

Many women reach a quiet moment when the life that once fit no longer does — not because something went wrong, but because they changed. In this thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation, Agnes sits down with keynote speaker and communications strategist Monica Rivera to talk about what it really looks like to translate decades of experience into a next chapter that feels aligned, meaningful, and sustainable.

Rather than “starting over,” Monica invites women to recognize the value of what they already carry — their judgment, intuition, skills, and stories — and to trust themselves enough to experiment, show up imperfectly, and claim visibility without waiting for confidence to magically appear.

• Why reinvention doesn’t require abandoning your past — only reframing it

• How to recognize the inner signals that tell you it’s time for change

• The difference between experience, intuition, and discernment

• Why small experiments matter more than big leaps

• Visibility as a pathway to recognition — especially for midlife women

• What women often need to unlearn after long corporate careers

This episode is a grounded, generous reminder that your next chapter doesn’t start from scratch — it starts from you.

Listen now and then share this episode!

Find Monica at You Wanna Do What?

Learn more about Monica and find all her links at https://boomwithabang.com/the-boomer-womans-podcast-monica-rivera/

 

Freedom Meets Security: Rethinking Travel Through House Sitting with Belinda Coker

House and pet sitting is quietly transforming how women in midlife travel—and in this conversation, Belinda Coker explains why. From cost savings and safety to living like a local, we explore how house sitting offers a powerful balance between freedom and security. Belinda also shares candid stories from her own global experiences, including what she’s learned about trust, comfort, and redefining home.

• Why house sitting creates both financial and emotional security while traveling

• How staying in real homes changes your experience of a city or country

• What midlife women should know about trust, safety, and choosing the right sit

• Long-term vs short-term house sits—and which works best for different lifestyles

• Cats, dogs, and the realities of pet care while traveling

• How house sitting reshapes your idea of “home”

This episode is for women who want to travel thoughtfully—without giving up comfort, confidence, or independence.

Listener’s note: This conversation was recorded at 5:00 a.m. Belinda’s time and 9:00 p.m. mine—proof that meaningful conversations don’t always wait for optimal brain function (you may notice!)

Listen now and then share this episode!

Find Belinda at The Housesitting Collective

Learn more about Belinda and find more links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Belinda Coker (2)

 

When Retirement Goes Global the Rules Change with Jimmy Miller

Retirement and tax planning become far more complicated when life crosses borders—whether you’re moving abroad or returning home. In this episode, Jimmy Miller addresses the hidden financial and tax traps that affect people living, working, or retiring across countries.

Jimmy explains how common decisions—often made years earlier—can create unexpected consequences for Americans living abroad and for non-Americans who have spent part of their working lives in the United States. With clarity and real-world examples, he breaks down why these issues tend to surface at retirement, when flexibility matters most.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How tax “time bombs” affect expats in both directions

• What Americans abroad need to understand about retirement income and taxes

• Why non-Americans working in the U.S. can face surprises when they return home

• How retirement accounts can trigger penalties or higher taxes later

• Why midlife women are especially vulnerable to hidden financial risks

This episode is about foresight, clarity, and understanding the long-term impact of today’s financial decisions—no matter where life takes you.

Listen now and then share this episode!

Find Jimmy Miller at Baobab Wealth Management

Learn more about Jimmy and find all his links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Jimmy Miller

Puzzles, Partnership, and Reinvention with Monica Marlatt

What happens when an empty nest meets curiosity, creativity, and a box of puzzle pieces? In this episode, Agnes speaks with Monica about how puzzling became a powerful way to navigate retirement, deepen partnership, and build joyful community — one piece at a time.

• The emotional reality of the empty nest — and how quiet can feel heavier than expected

• How puzzling evolved from a solo pastime into a shared passion with her husband

• Learning new technology and social media later in life — without fear

• Why puzzling is far more social than people realize

• From pubs to cruise ships: creating connection through play

• Staying curious, relevant, and engaged at any age

This conversation is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t need to be grand — sometimes it begins at the dining room table.

Listen now and then share this episode!

Find Monica at Puzzled About Everything

Learn more about Monica and find all her links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Monica Marlatt

Embodying Desire: A Grown Woman’s Conversation About Pleasure with Linda Landon

In this deeply honest conversation, Linda Landon shares her personal journey into pleasure, embodiment, and Human Design — and why intimacy after midlife can be more expansive, not less. Linda explores unlearning shame, redefining sex beyond performance, and reconnecting with the body as a source of wisdom, vitality, and joy.

• Why pleasure is a birthright — not a reward

• How embodiment changes our experience of intimacy as we age

• Reframing sex beyond goals, penetration, and performance

• Human Design and what it reveals about desire, energy, and communication

• Why resistance is not failure — but a doorway

• Intimacy for single women, partnered couples, and everyone in between

Whether you’re curious, cautious, or quietly longing for something more, this episode offers a compassionate reframe of intimacy — one that honors where you’ve been and invites what’s still possible.

Listen below and then share this episode!

Find Linda at Ignite Your Joy

Learn more about Linda and find more links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Linda Landon