Late Bloomer Living Podcast

EP 141: Pushing Past Fear: Open Water Swimming with Valerie Farber

This week, Yvonne Marchese talks to Valerie Farber, who shares her story of how she pushed herself out of her comfort zone by swimming in the open waters of Brooklyn, NY after the swimming pools shut down due to COVID.  Despite her long-held fears and anxiety about the big, wild blue, and with the help of tools she knew as an architectural designer, Valerie was able to overcome her fears and surprise herself by learning to love swimming year-round in the cold waters off Brooklyn, NY. Her experience also led her to expand her sense of what she was capable of and pivot her architectural business.

EP 140: Habit Changes for Saving the Planet with Yvonne Marchese

In this episode, I'll be discussing Earth Day and why it's important to talk about how we can create and keep up with environmentally sustainable habits in our daily lives.

 

Although I've been hesitant to bring it up on the podcast, I believe it aligns with our mission of challenging ourselves to grow through discomfort.

 

In this episode I'll be introducing my plans to dive deeper into the topic in future episodes featuring inspiring guests. Join me in celebrating Earth Day and making positive changes to protect our planet.

EP 139: Everybody Dance with Dan Watt

Join us for an inspiring conversation about the power of dance as a means of expression, even for those with physical or mental limitations. After ten years working for major film studios, our guest Dan Watt decided to go out on his own to make films focusing on stories that explore the human experience, humanity, spirituality, and social issues.  In this conversation, Dan shares his experience producing and directing his first film at the age of 57.  "Everybody Dance," follows five children with disabilities, their families and their dance teacher on their journey towards a big recital. Inspired by his former students with autism, Dan's film highlights the joy and empowerment that dance can bring to anyone, regardless of their physical abilities. Don't miss this heartwarming story during Autism Awareness Month.

EP 138: Do What You Can with Jane Olson

Jane Olson was a middle-aged mother of three who took a leap of faith and pursued volunteer humanitarian work in her mid-forties. After dropping off her youngest child at college, she boarded a plane to Russia which was only the beginning of her journey. She became a champion for promoting peace and justice, eventually serving as Chair of the International Board of Human Rights Watch and co-chair of the Women's Refugee Commission. Jane shares her experiences working with refugees in war-torn countries and discusses her memoir, "World Citizen: Journeys of a Humanitarian".

EP 137: Late Blooming Entrepreneurship with Cat Corchado

This is a “Where are they now” episode. Cat Corchado is someone who is continually changing, adapting and growing.  I'm having her back on my podcast for the 2nd time because this year at the age of 65 she launched an online community called Small Space Pilates. Tune in for a discussion about the mindset involved when you become an entrepreneur later in life.

EP 136: Trial by Fire with Brahna Yassky

In this episode, we’re exploring the concept of "do overs" and the courage it takes to keep taking chances. I'm joined by Brahna Yassky, who embarked on her fifth career as a writer at the age of 60. Her debut book, "Slow Dancing with Fire," is a memoir of resilience that addresses universal issues of beauty, identity, and visibility vs. invisibility. Her story encourages everyone to believe that do-overs are possible, no matter what age you are. Tune in to be inspired!

EP 135: From a Childhood Dream to a Midlife Adventure with Adam Rothenberg

In this episode, Adam Rothenberg shares his journey of achieving his childhood dream of being in the entertainment industry, but not in the way he expected.  Whether you are still exploring what you want out of life or looking for a new adventure or challenge, Adam's story will inspire and motivate you to pursue your dreams. 

EP 134: Hopeful Simplicity with Melissa Stecher

Melissa Stecher is a professional organizer, author and founder of Hopeful Simplicity, but the road that brought her to where she is today started with a "driveway moment" that wasn't so pretty. She found herself overwhelmed as a parent by the feeling of 'it's all on me'. Managing all the people, places and things of Home life was too stressful for her to handle. Desperate for a solution, she gathered herself together and began a hopeful journey. She swapped out unsuccessful organizing systems, harsh chemicals and bad habits for compromises and successes. Thanks to just 15 minutes a day, one small space at a time, she found Hope in her chaos and clutter. Now, she and her son save time, save money and enjoy living Less Stressed lives together.

EP 133: Ageism Unmasked with Dr. Tracey Gendron

We are joined by Dr. Tracey Gendron, author of the book Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End it. Tracey is an associate professor, Chair of the Department of Gerontology, and Executive Director of the Virginia Center on Aging at Virginia Commonwealth University. She had an epiphany about her own attitudes towards aging that led her to write this book. Join us as we discuss how to challenge the ideas about aging that we have come to accept without question. We'll explore Tracey's definition of aging, which is "Aging is a slow and steady process of change that ultimately leads us to becoming our unique individual selves," and dive into why it's important to remember that we are all aging – no matter what age we are. We'll gain insight into how to create a more positive attitude towards aging and how to become more conscious of our own biases. Don't miss out on this important conversation about ageism and how to work towards ending it!

EP 132: One Thing Leads to Another with Channa Silva

What happens when you say yes to an impulse? Channa Silva is joining the podcast for the second time.  He lives in the Philippines, where he has had a successful career in the telecommunications industry, but his real passion is music.   In episode 81 we talked about the path that led him to hosting a podcast about music called Channa Channa Channa.  Now that the Covid shutdown is over and he can go to concerts again he’s in his element.  After 300 episodes of that podcast, he's moved on to new adventures in the world of music fandom and he’s back to give us an update. Talking to Channa always reminds me of the power of saying yes to your intuition and following your interests.