Wishing You And Yours A Very Merry Christmas And Radiant Health, Joy, Hope, And Love In The New Year!

We're so grateful for you, for your engagement, your feedback and support this year.  We love The Life after Kids Community and every midlife woman in it.

Christmas is almost here and we're sharing our FAVORITE THINGS!

Whether you're still adding to your wishlist, you're buying for yourself, or your buying for a special woman in your life, we've got you covered with our Favorite Things!

In this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're sharing 6 of our favorite things.  They range in price, some more expensive, some less, and they bring us nothing but JOY and a whole lot of value!  SIDE NOTE:  These aren't endorsements.  We aren't getting paid to share these things with you.  All items are simply things we really love and we think you will too. 

Since we're in midlife, and our kids are getting older, let us pose a question to you...Is it time to let go of the way things used to be and embrace what is? In this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're talking about rethinking the holidays and we're sharing some of the different  ways we've approached Christmas.  Whether you're a traditionalist or you like to think outside the box, one thing's for sure, as we get older, the holidays start to look different, so we should be prepared to make the absolute best of the season, enjoying every moment. 

While Dr. Brooke tends to be more of a traditionalist, Dr. Lynne likes to change things up and spend the holidays a bit differently.  However you choose to spend your holiday, there's one thing we think we can all agree on.  The happier and warmer you make your home, the more your kids and family will want to be there.  So whatever you're doing for the holiday, be sure to cultivate joy, laughter, and celebration.  

Understanding yourself better and self awareness are keys to being authentic and joyful in midlife.  Tools like the enneagram and Gallup Strength Finders can help, just like knowing whether you're an introvert or extrovert can.  But they're all just pieces to the puzzle.  Please don't think that these labels are meant to put you in a box, quite the opposite, actually.  The awareness that comes with using these tools helps you step out of the box.  They enable you to be more of who you are, having grace and love for yourself, instead of violating barriers and boundaries that you need to be healthy and vibrant.  Learn even more by clicking the picture above to watch this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Introvert vs Extrovert Video.  

Enough of the turkey already!  We're on to holiday shopping!  Did you start on Black Friday?  Are you waiting for Cyber Monday?  Maybe you're one of those who's bought, boxed, and wrapped by October!  Whatever the case, there's no denying that the gift giving season is in full swing!  Shopaholics rejoice!

For some of us, gift giving comes easily.  It's a love language.  For others, finding the right gift for that special person can be a difficult challenge.  At the end of the day, regardless of which camp you fall into, presents are meant to show the important people in our life how much we love and appreciate them. 

Listen, there's a time and place for a gift card, but we believe the best gifts are those that someone would really love but wouldn't necessarily buy for themselves. And, giving the perfect gift is the topic of discussion in this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Gift of Giving Video.

At holiday gatherings, often the entire meal, if not the whole day goes by with only scratch the surface small talk.  Even worse, the conversation can end in heated debate over something like politics or parenting styles which can lead to hurt feelings. But in midlife, we want more meaning, we want to walk away from time spent with family and friends with a full heart.  We want connection.  And, we want to create lasting memories. So in this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're talking about how to have meaningful conversation at the holiday table and other special occasions.

It's very simple actually.  Dr. Lynne and Dr. Brooke's mom have been doing it for years.  It's a simple game, or exercise if you will, of taking a group through thoughtful and intentional question while at the dinner table.  Here's what to do...Have the questions planned before hand.  Start with one person and rotate around the table, until each person has had an opportunity to answer.  Everyone has to participate.  WARNING: you may get some push back from people, especially teens, but be persistent and keep the activity moving.  You'll find that eventually every one gets on board and even really enjoys it! 

Can you believe Thanksgiving is this week already?  And with it comes the start of the holiday season!  Time is flying, friends.  If you're like us, this time of year, you get spread a little too thin because youre doing all the day to day things you typically do, plus you've added in all the holiday extras.  Also, there's more family time.  Some of us may find this extra stressful, because we can't choose our family (you know what we mean)! The holiday season with all of it's joy and fun can run you ragged and really throw your body off if you aren't careful. 

As we get older, we need to realize that the point of the holidays isn't to be stressed, running around like an idiot, worrying about everything being good and perfect. The point is to be present.  To take it all in.  To enjoy it.  To be joyful.  We can achieve this by calming our nervous system and taking practical action steps to manage stress.  Start unwinding a bit with this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne.  Watch The Calm For The Holidays Video by clicking the picture above!  Happy Thanksgiving!  We're so grateful for you!

The Holidays are coming and the twinkling lights  of the season are bright and heart warming.  But...The short days and extra darkness are no joke!

Many of us struggle during these months with an extra sense of BLAH. It can be hard to feel motivated and energetic, especially when it's getting dark for many of us before 5:00 pm.  And while we can't change the rotation of the Earth or where we are in proximity to the equator, we also don't have to grin and bare the winter blahs.  Light therapy, in it's many forms, is a simple and effective way to vibrantly get through the months ahead.  And, it's our topic of discussion in this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne.

When we hit the age of 40 and beyond, weight management typically proves to be more difficult.  All the things we used to do to stay at a comfortable and sustainable weight don't necessarily work anymore.  We may start seeing excess weight in areas we don't want it- like our belly!  A slower metabolism due to aging usually gets the blame, but we're here to tell you there are other reasons for the weight gain.  We also know practical ways to combat it.  To learn more, just watch episode 42 of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Belly Fat Video.

This discussion isn't about calorie counting, starving yourself, or being miserable.  Quite the opposite actually, because we should be enjoying ourselves in this phase of life. And, part of that enjoyment comes from the food we eat.  We shouldn't be constantly worrying about what we're going to eat and how it's going to affect us.  But, there is a fine line when it comes to health and well-being.  So let's worry less about calories and more about eating healthy foods, foods we love that also love us back.  With that said, there's a few reasons we gain weight in midlife even if our eating hasn't changed...  

Midlife can be stressful due to getting older, the kids growing up, and hormonal changes.  If we want to live a fabulous, long life after 40, we must learn to manage our stress so we can build resilience. It's so important to adopt tools to manange your stress from the outside, like exercise, meditation, breathwork, and massage.  But, have you ever considered that it can be just as important to take steps to manage your stress on the inside.  This is where various supplements come into play.  CBD happens to be one of Dr. Brooke's favorites, and the ladies are talking all about CBD and its benefits in episode 42 of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The CBD Video.

 In this phase of life, we need to lean into JOY.  It's time to find the things that bring us joy and use or do them.  For some reason, we can have a hard time delighting in life, savoring what we have, and enjoying what comes to us.  And yet, we're not getting any younger.  It's time to go for it.  It's time to do the thing.  We're talking all about this very topic in episode 41 of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Joy Delayed Video.

Sadly, many of us don't feel like we're worthy of feeling joy, even after all these years. We may not be speaking it or thinking it, but it's there somewhere on a subconscious level. It goes back to our mindset: how we view ourselves, what we think we're deserving of, how we speak to ourselves, and how we give love to ourselves. Leaning into more joy in your life is a big piece of loving yourself better. So, go to the concert, take out the china, put on the dress, open the bottle of wine you've been saving, and wear the shoes. And let this be a starting point for getting perspective and asking yourself what you can do to make midlife the most joyful phase yet.

In our 40's, 50's and beyond, we still have so much life to live.  It helps to have a blueprint for the way we want to live our life.  Think of goal setting as your blueprint.  Goals don't always have to be a thing you're striving for.  They could be emotions you want to create more of in your life.  Whatever it is you're reaching for, if you want to live your best midlife, then you have to put your goals down in a concrete way. And, you have to be intentional about what you want your life to look like.  Vision boarding is a great way to get started with the goal setting process.  And, this happens to be the perfect time of year to begin this activity.  That's why this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne is all about Vision Boarding.    If the thought of creating an entire vision board sounds overwhelming, start slowly by writing down one small thing you'd like to accomplish. Once it becomes a more comfortable habit, write down bigger things.    And keep in mind, failure isn't not reaching a goal.  Failure is not trying.  So pick one thing, or pick a few things, have bravery and courage around doing it, and then GO FOR IT!

We really do love all of the seasons of life, but autumn happens to be one of our favorites.  And we are here for all things fall:  getting cozy by the fire with a good book, cooking with all the seasonal root vegetables and squashes, enjoying warm comfort foods like creamy soups, and of course, the feeling of gratitude when you see the gorgeous colors all around you.  We're talking about all these things and so much more in this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The the Love Of Fall Video.  

Want to add more life to your years?...

Music is a great way to take life moments up a notch!

Music is a simple, yet powerful way to set the tone of an event, your day, even your mood.  A lot of emotion can be tied up in music.  Often, certain songs are attached to some or our best memories in life.  And, there are so many practical uses for music in life.  Music can express your faith, it can be a connection with your teens, it can lift a bad mood, and it can be a form of catharsis if you need to process built up emotions. It can also be a creative outlet which is so important for emotional well being. In this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we’re talking all about MUSIC and what a great tool it can be for making each moment count in midlife. And don't forget that everything elevates just a little bit more when music is involved- more relaxation, more fun, more joking, more dancing, more enjoyment!  Couldn't all of us benefit from a little more of these things in midlife?!

We must have healthy thought patterns and a positive mindset if we really want to thrive in midlife.  So, this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne is all about LIMITING BELIEFS and how to break them. Limiting beliefs are thoughts that come to our mind regularly, but aren't congruent with who we are or what we want for our lives.  Here's the thing.  If you constantly frame your world and yourself in a negative way, then you'll never be open to all the possibilities available to you.  And, you just might get stuck in a life you aren't exactly happy with.  The good news is, it's possible to remove the power limiting beliefs have over your life. And you can learn more about limiting beliefs and taking back your power, by watching this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Limiting Beliefs Video.   

SLEEP is one of the most important aspects of health and overall well-being in midlife, and it Sleep under two of the 4 Foundations of Life after Kids. It's important for vitality (physical health) and it's necessary for resilience (emotional health). When you're stressed it often becomes more difficult to sleep. Lack of sleep then leads to more stress and imbalance. Thus, creating a negative feedback cycle. Sleep is so important to thriving in life after 40. And yet, sleep happens to be one of the things we struggle with in this phase of life. So, you guessed it! BETTER SLEEP is the topic of discussion on this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne.

Struggling to find meaning and purpose in midlife? Have you considered volunteering or giving back in some way? Meeting a need in the world is something that can give meaning to our lives. Contributing (giving back to the world) cultivates joy and makes our lives more fulfilling. Often in midlife, we start to wonder what's next. We think about leaving a legacy. And we ask, "how can we leave this world a better place". So, the focus of this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne is all about CONTRIBUTION.

It's not uncommon to feel a little sad, empty, or lonely in this stage of life. But, remember we still have so much life to live and you get to choose how you're going to show up in the world daily. When we show up for other people or causes, suddenly we take the focus off our own problems and worries, instead, shifting our focus to something more productive. This can be very healing and uplifting. Remember, the world needs you and what you have to offer. There's something only you can contribute. And, finding that something is key to thriving in midlife.

In this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're discussing the importance of nostalgia and laughter. And, we've included the story about Dr. Brooke laboring with her first son to the Austin Powers movies. Our apologies in advance for the jokes and school girl laughter, but it really is so fun to reminisce!

At this stage of life, can you look back and relive memories and find laughter? Because, in truth, laughter really is the best medicine. It sounds cliche, but it's true. In fact, research actually shows that laughter has the ability to calm your nervous system. In this phase of life, it's the little things that make the biggest impact. And, laughter is one of those things. Don't neglect it! So, get ready to take a walk down memory lane with us by watching this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Nostalgia Video. We hope you find yourself giggling as much as we did!

One certainty in life is that none of us are getting out alive...

It may sound callous, but it's true. Now, we shouldn't be feeling sad or thinking we're on the down swing of life, on the contrary, we still have so much fabulous life to live. But, we should be living each day to the fullest and making every moment count. Because, tomorrow isn't promised.

Plus, the older we get, the more likely it is that we'll be dealing with the grief of losing a loved one. This is a difficult subject and many of us would prefer to sweep it under the rug rather than address it. But, we can do hard things and difficult subject matters are worth discussing. We're all in this midlife together and the more we share, the better prepared we'll be for all things in midlife- wins and losses. That's why the topic of discussion in this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne is all about GRIEF.

Nothing in life is guaranteed. We can suffer loss at any age. But in midlife, as our parents and other loved ones get older, the likelihood of dealing with loss becomes greater. Dr. Lynne has lost her father and Dr. Brooke lost her mother in law several years ago to sickness. There are many lessons they learned from walking through grief together that they share in this episode.

Here's the thing, life isn't perfect. There will be times of struggle. You may not be able to control the world around you, but you can control how you choose to show up in the world. You can choose to grow through loss. You can choose to move forward and to live a vibrant life. For more on this topic, watch this week's episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, The Grief Video. And remember, you have a choice in how you handle everything that life throws at you. You get to decide.

Are you waking up in  the middle of the night soaked in sweat?  Maybe you even need to change your pj's or pillow and sheets.  Sometimes, your heart could be racing as well.  Night sweats are very common during this phase of life due to extreme swings in estrogen and progesterone, thanks to our ovaries preparing to shut down.  And, in the episode of Life after Kids with Drs. Brooke and Lynne, we're discussing the ins and outs of hot flashes and night sweats- why we have them and what to do about them!

The question to ask during this phase of life is "how can we keep our hormones more balanced"?  And, "how do we support our body so our hormones don't have sudden drops and peaks"? We must look at the cause (our hormones) and not just the symptom (night sweats).