216. A Conversation About Growth with Yvonne Marchese

One of the things I’ve been reflecting on more and more is my personal growth in midlife and this stage in my life. In the book that I’m writing, there’s an entire chapter on what it means to continue to grow as we get older.So, of course, I wanted to have a chat about this topic with my good friend and frequent collaborator, Yvonne Marchese, who has grown in leaps and bounds since I met her roughly 4 years ago. We sat down and chatted about growth — what growth in midlife means for us, how we plan (if we plan) for growth, and how our relationship with growth has changed over time. This isn't a how-to episode; really, it's two friends exploring the word growth. We hope that by sharing our thoughts with you, it’ll re-enforce your own growth goals, or give you a different perspective. Or maybe, if we're lucky, inspire you to forge ahead, jump into new waters, expand, and grow.ABOUT MY GUESTYvonne Marchese is the host of the Late Bloomer Living Podcast and the founder of Midlife Uprising Community for women.  She is also the author of In Full Bloom: A Guide to Aging Playfully. She’s a professional photographer, mother, and wife.  At the age of 48, she realized that she’d bought into a story about getting old that was adversely affecting her health and relationships.  Yvonne believes that midlife is filled with possibility, that it’s never too late to pursue a dream, and that the stories we tell ourselves have tremendous power.IN THIS EPISODEPlanned versus unplanned growthMeasurable growth versus growth that's not easily measurableAre we growing even if we're not paying attention or measuring our growth?How time and distance can help us recognize our personal growthWhat growth in 2023 looked like for Yvonne and LouFOOTNOTESIn Full Bloom: A Guide To Aging PlayfulyYvonne Marchese's Late Bloomer Living PodcastFollow Yvonne Marchese on Instagram------------Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedInSubscribe to Midlife Cues, a weekly newsletter about intentional living and personal growth in midlife.Work with Lou BlaserSupport the Show. Thank you! Get full access to Shaping Life at loublaser.substack.com/subscribe