The Wake-Up Call You Can't Ignore: Julie Ciardi on Redefining Success at 50. #EpisodeEight

What happens when the life you built—the roles, the title, the revenue—no longer feels like yours? In this episode of The Kate Kenney Show #Unfiltered, I sit down with Julie Ciardi: author, entrepreneur, mother, and former IBM VP, who walked away from everything that looked like success… to finally live in alignment. But this isn't about "starting over." It's about coming home—to self-trust, sovereignty, and a definition of leadership that's rooted in presence, not performance.   We talk about: The belief that silently shaped every decision: "It's all on me" What happens when success stops feeling like truth How to move beyond identity labels into embodiment and freedom Reinvention at midlife—and why 50 is just the beginning Why internal alignment is the ultimate growth strategy Julie offers a radically honest perspective on letting go to become. If you're in the in-between—where the old no longer fits and the new isn't fully formed—this conversation is for you. It's not about who you were. It's about who you're becoming.   ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:    00:18 – Reflecting on Past Identities 01:07 – The Income Lifestyle Trap 04:10 – The Rocking Chair Exercise 06:06 – What Radical Action Actually Looks Like 09:45 – Family, Guilt, and Redefining "Responsibility" 16:20 – Fulfillment vs. Expectations 26:50 – The Breakdown That Became Breakthrough 28:37 – The Turning Point: Business + Identity 34:12 – Writing the Book & Reclaiming Her Voice 41:52 – Human Design + Navigating Leadership from Within 48:10 – Final Thoughts on Reinvention, Freedom & Power   🔗 RESOURCES:   Follow Julie on Instagram: @julieciardi   Buy Julie's Book "50 Not Finished": https://a.co/d/5o03PoB   Julie's Podcast:  50 Not Finished   Check out Ignite Coach School: igniteherbrand.com/coachschool   Follow Kate on: Instagram → @thekatekenney Facebook → Facebook Page LinkedIn → Kate on LinkedIn