EPISODE SUMMARY
Wendy Perrotti and Dana Hilmer are talented coaches and co-founders of Camp Reinvention™, a company that helps midlife women who are at a crossroads gain the clarity and confidence to live their lives to the fullest. On today’s episode, we sat down with Wendy and Dana to discuss how we question our path in midlife, taking steps to pursuing a new life, figuring out what you want, and how to learn to enjoy your life through Wendy and Dana’s Camp Reinvention program.
First, we asked Wendy and Dana about the first steps a midlife woman who is beginning to question her path in life should take. They told us that before jumping into action, the first thing any struggling midlife woman should do is embrace the idea that the life you have lived so far does not dictate the life you could be living in the future. Being consumed by the past can make us feel lost, and it’s important to take everything that we’ve learned over the decades and use it to propel us forward towards new possibilities. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel; finding women pursuing similar goals and dreams can be inspirational and help you start creating your own path.
Along with remaining stuck in our past, another thing that holds us back is fear of the unknown. Feeling like you have no control over the outcome of your choices can keep you stagnant. Rather than trying to combat this by taking huge leaps, Wendy and Dana suggested starting with a few small steps. First, acknowledge patterns that you have that are keeping you immobile, for those patterns will not help you get out of your rut. Once you’ve done that, the next big step is learning to stop accepting sucky things in your life. Some situations are out of our control; we can’t ignore or get rid of them. However, we can change our mindset and try to move forward in the most optimal way possible. For the things we do have control over, many women refuse to change out of feelings of obligation. They live a life they think they “should” be living and that “should” make them happy. Once you drop the “shoulds” and figure out what you truly want, then you can start taking consistent action towards your goals. While many believe taking action ends with either success or failure, Wendy and Dana argued that it’s actually all about life experiences. Many women are so hard on themselves and judge any choice they make as having worked or not worked, when in reality, every decision is just another life experience. We grow through what we go through, and by changing our minds to see life as a series of experiences, we stop being so judgmental of our choices.
For midlife women who have yet to discover what they want, the first step is looking at their life and choices through filters. When asked about the filters, Wendy and Dana explained to us the concept of the compass point. The compass point is a filter that forces us to look at our choices and ask an important question: how do we want to feel about ourselves on our last day? Once we have an answer, we can start figuring out small ways to work towards that newfound goal. Wendy and Dana also told us about an activity those at Camp Reinvention partake in that helps them discover their goals. Each camper creates four columns: I know I want, I think I want, I know I don’t want, I think I don’t want. Once each column is filled, campers can then start waking up each day with a goal of taking steps that bring them closure and closure to their desires. The steps don’t have to be large, for starting too big can easily overwhelm a person. The best thing to do is to take small, doable steps, one at a time, and working your way up. While some midlife women believe they are “too old” to pursue their goals and dreams, it is never too late to take action. If it’s something you want, and it aligns with your goals, then do it.
Finally, we asked Wendy and Dana about their midlife program Camp Reinvention. They told us how Camp Reinvention focuses on midlife women who are at a crossroads and helps them gain clarity and take action to start enjoying their life. Camp reinvention is a 12-week, primarily online program that occurs four times a year, with the next one starting March 28th, 2023. The classes are taught live, which allow campers to have coaching and peer support. Camp Reinvention has also started offering expert bundles for those with specific goals. The expert bundles are pre-recorded and can be purchased as an add on to the program. For any questions or concerns, Wendy and Dana can be reached at their website, campreinvention.com, or through the email [email protected]. People can also get Wendy and Dana’s free e-book, What Keeps you Stuck, through the Camp Reinvention website.
Wendy Perrotti and Dana Hilmer
Wendy Perrotti and Dana Hilmer are master-level coaches and the Co-Founders of Camp Reinvention™ – a global company that helps women at a midlife crossroads get clarity on what they want, make it happen and enjoy their life a hell of a lot more!
Both Wendy and Dana have appeared on hundreds of television and radio stations across the country and they speak on topics related to mastering reinvention, growing (b)older and wiser and creating the life and work you love. And if you’re feeling a bit stuck, feel free to download their free e-book, Freedom From What Keeps You Stuck for actionable tips to get you headed in the direction you want to go.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Introduction
- [0:25] Guest Introduction
- [4:06] Start of Interview
- [5:05] Questioning Your Path in Midlife
- [9:11] How to Stop Feeling Stuck
- [14:40] Taking Steps to Pursuing a New Path in Midlife
- [18:54] Camp Reinvention
- [19:51] Figuring Out What You Want
- [25:46] Feeling Too Old to Follow Your Dreams
- [28:30] What is Camp Reinvention?
- [33:02] Closing Thoughts
- [33:36] Outro
Useful Resources:
Camp Reinvention I [https://www.campreinvention.com/]
Camp Reinvention’s Blog I [https://www.campreinvention.com/blogs]
Camp Reinvention’s Facebook I
Camp Reinvention’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/campreinvention/?hl=en]
Camp Reinvention E-Book
What Keeps You Stuck I [https://www.campreinvention.com/ebook]
Wendy’s Website I [https://www.wendyperrotti.com/]
Wendy’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-perrotti/]
Wendy’s Blog I [https://www.wendyperrotti.com/mindfulness-blog]
Wendy’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/wendyperrotti/]
Wendy’s Podcast
A Glimpse Inside Podcast I [https://superpowerexperts.com/a-glimpse-inside/]
Dana’s Website I [https://www.danahilmer.com/]
Dana’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danahilmer/]
Dana’s Facebook I [
Dana’s Book
Blindsided by a Diaper I [https://www.amazon.com/Blindsided-Diaper-Parenthood-Changes-Relationship-ebook/dp/B000SCHB7U]
Dana’s Podcast
ThriveTime I [https://www.danahilmer.com/podcasts/]
SIGN UP FOR THE 12-WEEK CAMP REINVENTION PROGRAM AND START LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE HERE!
Can’t Get Enough? Find Us Here!
Website I [http://hotflashescooltopics.com/]
Mail I [[email protected]]
Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/hotflashesandcooltopics/]
Facebook I
Twitter I [https://twitter.com/CoolFlashes]
YouTube I [https://www.youtube.com/@HotFlashesCoolTopics]
Pinterest I [https://www.pinterest.com/hcooltopics/]
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