Turning 40 and trading high heels for healing

When Anna Brooke heard a mysterious voice say “burlesque dancer” during a meditation, she had no idea it would lead to a full-blown metamorphosis. Known on stage as the Reverend Legs Malone, Anna built a dazzling career that lit her up—until her body forced her to stop. In this deeply human episode, she opens up about listening to intuition, navigating grief, and learning to slow down. From the thrill of the spotlight to the quiet power of discernment, Anna’s story is a bold invitation to shed the shoulds and embrace joy on your own terms.Guest Bio Anna Brooke is an author, speaker, and healing arts practitioner dedicated to helping people reconnect with their hearts and core creative spark. She is the author of the award-winning book Stripped Down: How Burlesque Led Me Home and co-author of WRITE! Your Guide to Revealing the Writer Within. She is also known as Rev. Legs Malone, a burlesque performer, show producer, educator and advocate who has been featured in Page Six, Buzzfeed, and Huffington Post. She has taught her transformational workshops nationally and internationally since 2010.Turning 40 and trading high heels for healingWhat happens when you finally listen to the quiet voice inside you—and it says “burlesque dancer”? Anna Brooke’s story is a masterclass in trusting your gut, embracing your weird, and healing from the burnout that comes from doing all the “right” things. From her early days of internal tug-of-war between what she wanted and what others expected, to becoming Rev. Legs Malone on the stages of New York City, Anna shares how stepping fully into joy changed everything. When a back injury at 39 forced her to slow down, she began a deeper journey—this time into the healing arts, entrepreneurship, and the hard-won clarity of her 40s.Episode Highlights:How Anna navigated a lifelong conflict between doing what she wanted and what she “should” doThe serendipitous moment when intuition told her to become a burlesque dancer—and how she listenedCreating and evolving the on-stage persona of Rev. Legs MaloneThe toll of hustle culture on her physical health, and the injury that forced a complete lifestyle shiftFinding strength through slowing down, healing, and learning to trust herselfLetting go of the “shoulds” and learning to follow discernment over judgmentWhy self-expression and joy are powerful tools for personal transformationAnna’s story reminds us that our bodies don’t lie, joy is a radical act, and that sometimes the most powerful transformations come from sitting still long enough to hear ourselves. If you’ve ever felt pulled in too many directions or wondered what it might look like to trust your intuition, this conversation will inspire you to take the next right step—for you.If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, follow, and share The Big Four Oh Podcast. Your support helps us reach more people navigating life’s beautiful, bumpy middle!Guest ResourcesConnect with Anna on FacebookConnect with Anna on InstagramConnectTheBigFourOh.comTBFO on InstagramTBFO on FacebookGet the Email DigestListen, Rate & SubscribeYouTube PodcastsApple Podcasts SpotifyAmazon PodcastsSponsorThe Big Four Oh Podcast is produced and presented by Savoir Faire Marketing/Communications